vW^^^i

PRINCETON,

N.

J.

'J/.

Presented by Mr. Samuel

Agnew

of Philadelphia, Pa.

<SC&
AgJiezu Coll. on Baptism, No.

J/\

*7 rV V

BAPTIST SUCCESSION:

HMD-BOOI

OF BAPTIST HISTORY.

By

/ D. B.^'E.AY.
0/ Lexington, Kentuclz]],

AUTHOR OP "TEXT-EOOIC ON CAMPBELLISSI.

"Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." jlatl. IG: 13. " But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinlcest ; for as concerning this sect, we know that every-whore it is spoken against." Acts 28: 22.

CINCINNATI:
PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR.
GEO.
r*i-iblislxei^s,

E.

STEVEXS &

CO.,

IBoolcsGllors, and. Stationers.

1871.

Entered, according

to

Act of Congress, in the year

ISf'O,

By
In the
Office of the

D. B.

bay,

Librarian of Congress, at "Washington.

BTZEEOTYPrO EY UCICAY & CULLIN.

%
^

A'^.

>

PREFACE
The Angel
to said to Daniel that, in the last days,
shall be increased."

"Many
;

shall

run
is

and

fro,

and knowledge

This prophecy
for

especially being fulfilled as regards church history

a number

of the ripest scholars of Europe and America are devoting their

energies to this great work, with the prospect of
result.

It has ever

possible,

much good as the been the policy of Rome to destroy, as far as not only the true church itself, but every vestige of its
This fell design has led Romish authors to

history.

blacken the character of the Church of Christ, by accusing

make the effort to its mem-

bers of almost every crime which Satanic malice could invent.

And

they have so far succeeded in their purpose, as to make the impression on the multitude, that there is no church successmi independent

came out of the Catholic Church Baptists have with one voice denied any connection with the Romish apostacy, and claimed their origin as a church from Jesus Christ and the apostles. If this claim of the Baptists is true, they should ever be willing and able to furnish the evidence upon which they rest their claims to antiquity. But, owing to the scarcity and cost of old ecclesiastical histories and documents, the people are deprived of the means of knowing the facts of history which ought to be in the reach of every one. It is the design of this work to furnish, in a convenient shape, the leading facts of history which every Christian should know. I can see no reason why any child of God should be indifferent as to the history of the "martyrs of Jesus," upon whose blood the Romish harlot was drunk
!

of Rome, and that all other churches

for so

many

ages.

know

that the full details of the cruel suffer-

is preserved alone in the archives of heaven, and will there be preserved till that glorious day when every hidden thing shall be brought to light.

ings of these witnesses for Christ

to the

Eager historians have ever been ready to rear monuments of fame memory of heroes and tyrants who ha^e drenched the earth

iv

(Preface.

in human blood, and haA'e arisen to greatness tlirough treachery and crime; and the admiring multitudes are ready to shout the praises of these human butchers, that have shrouded nations in mourning and distress. But, how few are interested in the history of those men and women of whom the world is not worthy, who forsook all for the kingdom of God, and became pilgrims and strangers on the earth. They were often clad in sheep-skins and goat-skins, and wandered in deserts and mountains; they sometimes lived in caves and dens of the earth, or dragged out their wretched lives in filthy prison-dungeons and, at last,thousands of them sealed their testimony at the stake, where they sang and shouted the praises of God, amidst the flames which devoured their bodies. Is it possible that God's children, who are more highly favored, feel no
;

of the history of the Bride of Jesus whose wanderings in the wilderness may be traced by her martyr blood, as seen in the gloomy light of the martyr fires? We have a number of valuable histories of the Baptists such as those written by Crosby, Ivimey, Orchard, Benedict, Cramp, and others; but still there is a demand for the Hand-Booh of Baptist History, arranged for convenient reference. This work will be found especially valuable to those who do not have access to historic libraries. Instead of being compelled to search for years through rare and musty volumes, the reader is here furnished with the facts, suitably arranged, to meet all ordinary demands. This collection has been prepared at great cost and labor, amidst the pressure of other cares and duties. The reader is left to judge for himself as to the merits of the present volume. It is my earnest desire to point sinners to Jesus Christ, as the only name given in heaven, or among men, whereby they can be saved. And I also wish to aid the people of God, by pointing them to the Church of Jesus Christ, which is the " pillar and ground of the truth." Praying that the blessings of God may rest upon this effort to promote His glory, I dedicate this work to the Churches of Jesus
interest in the investigation
Christ,

Christ.

D. B. K.

.^^A

L^^^' vS. <?. t^

m^
^<^
I.

COISr TENTS.

CHAPTER
1. 2.

The Visibility of the Church or Kingdom The Nature of the Succession

Baptist Peculiarities

15

3.

19

CHAPTER
1.

II.

THE ''MISSIONARY" AND ''OLD-SCHOOL" BAPTISTS.

The Regular Baptists and the Anti-Mission Baptists were once associated together as One People
In the Separation, the "Hard-Shell," or Anti-Mission Baptists, were the Seceding Party, -which withdrew from the Regular
Baptists
3.

22

2.

24
26
33
in favor of Ministerial Education...

"From

the days of the Apostles to the present time, the true,

legitimate Baptist Church has ever been a Missionary body"....

4.

The Churches founded by Christ and the Apostles were Missionary

Churches

6.

The Ancient Regular Baptists

37

CHAPTER
1.

III.

AMERICAN BAPTISTS.
Roger "Williams was never a Member of a true, legitimate Baptist Church The Newport, and not the present Providence First Church, the oldest Baptist Church in America No present Baptist Church or Minister has Baptism by Succession from Roger Williams Baptist Ministers from Europe who aided in planting the Early American churches
42
61

2.

3.

58
62

4.

vi

Contents.

CHAPTER
1. 2,

IV.
PAGE.
76

ENGLISH BAPTISTS.
The English Baptists did not Originate with John Smith The English Baptists are descenrted from the German Baptists

84

CHAPTER
GERMAN
1.

V.

BAPTISTS.
91 99

2.

The German Baptists did not Originate with the Munster Riot The German Baptists descended from the Ancient Waldenses.

CHAPTER
1. 2.
3.

VI.

THE ANCIENT WALDENSES.

The Name Waldenses The Charge of Drs. Miller and Rice against Jones, the Historian, Ancient Waldenses Baptists Modern Waldenses Pedobaptists The Origin of the Waldenses
107
114
121

4.

138

CHAPTER
1.

VII.

THE NOYATIANS.
The Churches The Origin
called

" Novatian Churches " did not Originate

154 159

with Novatian
2.

of the

Novatians

CHAPTER
Peculiarity First tested

VIII.

BAPTIST PECULIARITY FIRST JESUS THE FOUNDER AND HEAD.

1.

by the Bible

171

2.

Peculiarity First identified in Present Baptist Teaching

178

CHAPTER
Peculiarity Second tested by the Bible

IX.

BAPTIST PECULIARITY SECOND THE BIBLE AS THE RULE OF CONDUCT.

1.

180
184

2.

Peculiarity Second identified in Present Baptist Teaching

Contents.

Vll

CHAPTER
BAPTIST PECULIARITY
1.

X.

THIRD ORDER OF THE COMMANDMENTS.

PAGE.

Peculiarity Third tested by the Bible

Peculiarity Third identified in Present Baptist Teaching

190
195

2.

CHAPTEE

XI.

BAPTIST PECULIARITY FOURTH BURIAL IN BAPTISM OF THE DEAD TO SIN.

1.

Baptist Peculiarity FourtET tested by the Bible

Peculiarity Fourth identified in Present Baptist Teaching...

199 206

2.

CHAPTER

XII.

BAPTIST PECULIARITY FIFTH EQUALITY IN THE KINGDOM.

1.

Baptist Peculiarity Fifth tested by the Bible

Peculiarity Fifth identified in Present Baptist Teaching

209

2.

223

PECULIARITY
1.

CHAPTER XIII. SIXTH RESTRICTED

COMMUNION.
233
tested by the

Objections to Restricted

2.

Baptist Peculiarity Sixth

Bible

Communion answered Restricted Communion

239

3.

Concessions to Baptist Views of

4. Peculiarity

Sixth

Communion Communion in the Kingdom

250
identified with

Present Baptist Teaching

2G2

CHAPTER
CUTED.
1. Peculiarity Seventh

XIV.

PECULIARITY SEVENTH THE TRUE CHURCH PERSE-

the

True Church Persecuted

tested

by the
260
271

Bible
2.

Peculiarity Seventh identified in

Modern Baptist History

viii

Contents.

CHAPTER

XV.

PRIMITIVE CHURCHES FROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OP THE CHURCH TO THE KOVATIAN RUPTURE A PERIOD OF ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS.
PAGE.
1.

Peculiarities applied to the Primitive Churclies

285
302 304

2.
3.

Bishop and Elder the same Office Errors which Originated in this Period

CHAPTER XVI.
THE NOVATIAN PERIOD ABOUT TWO HUNDRED YEARS.
1.

Peculiarities applied to the Noyatians

313

2.

The Great Apostacy

329

XVII. THE WALDENSEAN PERIOD TWELVE HUNDRED AND

SIXTY YEARS.
1.

CHAPTER

Prophetic History of the Church during this Period

336

2. 3.

The

Peculiarities applied to the

Waldenses

347
393

False Churches which arose during this Period

CHAPTER
1. 2.

XVIII.
....

MODERN BAPTIST PERIOD.

PccuHarities applied to Modern Baptists

409
431

Ancient and Modern Mennonites

CHAPTER XIX.
Conclusion
443
451

APPENDIX
ABBREVIATIONS

459

BAPTIST SUCCfi^BlON
CHAPTER
THE KINGDOM.
1.

I.

2. 3.

The Visibility of the Chujich or Kingdom. The Nature of the Succession.

Baptist Peculiarities.

The visibility of the chuech oe Section I. KINGDOM.

"The law and the TJie Visibility of the Kingdom. prophets were until John: smce that time
the

kingdom of God

is

preached, and every

man

presseth into it."

itself is sufficient to establish

This text of
of the

the visibility

kingdom of God. It is admitted by ajl parties that Jesus Christ has a kingdom on earth. I believe there are
three theories concerning the government of Christ on
earth
:

The

first

is,

that

God has two kingdoms on

The tendency
for,

earth

the one a visible organization, and the other the invisible

reign of grace in the hearts of men.

of this

view
ual

is to

the neglect

of,

and contempt

the positive or-

dinances and requirements of Jesus Christ.

is

The

individ-

made

to believe that

he has been baptized with the

J^Ioly Spirit, and is a member of the "invisible" church; and he therefore regards the positive laws of the King in Zion as only types and shadows, of little or no consequence.

10

The Kingdom.

A second theory
feel

is,

that there

Christ on earth ; that the real

hearts of his subjects,

is no visible kingdom of kingdom of God is in the

and those who embrace

this position

themselves at liberty to institute, change, or abolish

They persuade themselves that God has govern his kingdom; and hence they come to the rescue, and enact laws for the control of the
laws and customs.

made no laws

to

people of God.

This view has been the mother of the vast

that Jesus Christ established a

variety of church organizations in the land.

But the

third theory

is,

visibly church, or kingdom, during his ministry on earth;

and that the

invisible

kingdom

is

composed of that part

of the church of the

first

born, that have entered heaven.

This last position we adopt. do not believe that Jesus Christ organized an " invisible ^^ church, or king-

We

dom, on earth. some of God^s

We

freely admit, however, that there are

visible

children in
her.

Babylon, who
said
:

are

commanded
10.4

to

come out of

For John

'^

And

I heard another voice from heaven, saying,

Come
partakers of her
plagues.^'

out of her,

my

people, that ye be not

sin,

and that ye receive not of her

Were these people of God in Babylon and in the kingdom of Christ at the same time? The following Scriptures are often urged in opposition to the visibility of the kingdom 1. " And when he w^as demanded of the Pharisees when
r 7 -.^ ^A 01 Luke 17: 20, 21.

tl^G

kinp:dom of

swered them and

God
.

should come, he anrr^^

said.

The kingdom

01

n r^

God
-i

cometh not with observation:

Neither shall they say,

Lo
is

here

or,

Lo

there

for,

behold, the

kingdom of God

within you."

The Kingdo^n
The
translation of
tliis

Visible.

11

passage

is

evidently defective.
is

For the words, " the kingdom of God

Pharisees.
It
is

within you/' were

addressed, not to the disciples of Christ, but to the wicked

kingdom of God was Some translate the Greek ])reposition entos, in this passage, among; and this would make the Saviour say, "the kingdom of God is among you/' or, in your midst. That is, the members of the kingdom were then in the presence of, and among, the
certain that the

not in their murderous hearts.

Jews.
It

came not with observation that

;

is, it

was not

estab-

lished with carnal weapons, amidst the confusion of battles

and
2.

victories over
^^

conquered armies.

kingdom of God is not meat and drink; hut righteousness, and peace, and joy in the

For

the

Holy Ghost:'

^'^'"'

^^''

^^'

How

this passage

can be tortured to prove the invisi-

bility of the

kingdom on earth, I am unable to see. The apostle, no doubt, was talking in this chapter of the meats offered in sacrifice to idols and he thought it best not to eat such meat, lest the weak brother be made to offend.
;

Does any one who holds the visibility of the kingdom, teach that the kingdom consists in meat and drink f Verily not. But what does the apostle mean when he says the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost f Does he teach the invisibility of the kingdom ? No For the very first element of the kingdom, named by the apostle, is righteousness, which
:

certainly includes visible obedience to the ordinances of

the kingdom.

The baptism

of Jesus was a part of the

for

righteousness of the

kingdom;

he

said,

i-

" thus

it

becometh us

to fulfill all

righteousness,"

12

The Kingdom,
3.

'^For by one Spirit are

o
Q

we

all baptized into

one body,

^^^^^^^^^

^^

^^ Jews or Greeks, whether

we
to

be bond or free;

and have been

all

made

drink into one SjnritJ^

This passage

is

relied

on by some to support the notion

that persons are

now
!

baptized by the

Holy

Spirit into

the invisible church

They talk very

all

confidently of their
in the

baptism by the Holy

Spirit,

and membership

Church
real

of Christ, independent of

church organizations.

Such persons have certainly forgotten that the

with the
gift of

baptism of the Holy Spirit always endowed the possessor

tongues or inspiration.
that regeneration
is

And

they have

overlooked the

fact,

one thing, and

baptism of the Holy Spirit quite another. But to the " For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one passage
:

body,^^ etc.

A better rendering
spirit are

of this passage would be, "In one

In is the primeaning Greek preposition rendered, in of the en mary our version, by. The meaning of the passage is, in one Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, we have all been baptized into one body i. e., the visible kingdom or Church of Christ.
all

we

baptized into one body.^^

It

is

certain that

Holy
so,

Spirit baptism

is

not referred to

in this passage.

If

we would have

both the administrator and element.

bered, that the Scriptures

Holy Spirit rememnowhere represent the Holy

the
It should be

Spirit as the administrator of baptism of

any kind.

Jesus

Christ was the only administrator of the baptism of the

Holy

Spirit.

We now proceed to introduce the Scriptures which teach

the visibility of the
It
is

kingdom

or

Church of Jesus
is

Christ.

freely admitted

that the term church

usually

The Kingdom
applied in the

Visible.

13

New

Testament to

local bodies; as, the

Church at Jerusalem, the Church at Antioch, the Church at Rome, etc. But I am satisfied that the term church, or ecdcsia, is And also used by inspiration in the sense of kingdom. such an example we have in Matt, xvi: 18; where the Savior said: ^'Upon this rock I will build ,^ ^^ ^ Jlatt. 16 18. 11 n n the gates oi hell shall not my church, and
,,
1 1 r>

prevail against

it.^^

I take this declaration of the Messiah as

my first

proof

For if the Savior alluded to the reign of grace in the heart when he said, "I will build my church,^^ this would contradict for the reign of grace had already been built in the facts
of the visibility of the church or kingdom.
;

hearts of

something which
the past,
it is

men from the men

set

time of Abel.

Therefore, as that

are pleased to call the invisible

kingdom, had been

up about

four thousand years in

certain that Jesus Christ did not allude to

the reign of grace in the heart

build

when he

said,

" I will

my

church.^^

And

as the Scriptures teach that

none but men and women, believers, are eligible to church membership, therefore it would be as appropriate to speak of invisible men and women on earth as to speak
of an invisible church on earth composed of

men and

women
2.
^'

And from
it

the

days of John the Baptist until now,

suffercth violence,

the

kingdom of heaven

and
the invisible king-

the violent tahe

^yill it

by forceJ'^

be said that violent

too absurd.

men take

dom by
This

force ?
is

dom

suffer violence ?

But how could an invisible kingThe kingdom of Christ, as a visi-

14

The Kingdom.
John
the

ble body, has suffered violence from the days of

Baptist even until now.

3.

" Tlien shall the kingdom of heaven be Ulcened unto ten vb-qins which took their lamps and went
:

Matt. 2b

l-l^. ^ , lortli to

wi i the bridegroom. meet

i

a ^^ And live

oi

them were wise and

It
is

five

were

foolish/' etc.

generally conceded that the foolish virgins repre-

sent false professors in the kingdom.

But

if it refers to

the invisible

kingdom of grace
is

in the heart, then the doc-

trine of final apostacy

true.

But the very

fact that

false professors, foolish virgins, are in the

kingdom, shows

that the
4.

kingdom must be a visible organization. The Savior said, at the institution of the supper, " I
appoint unto you a kingdom, as
'
'

my

Father
eat

hath appointed unto

me

That ye may

and drink at my table in my kingdom," etc. Here the Savior has fixed the Lord's table in the kingdom. Did he place the visible Communion in an The very fact that he instituted the invisible kingdom ? supper, a visible ordinance, in the kingdom, is positive proof that that kingdom is visible. Jesus Christ has but one kingdom on earth, and that is a visible organization, especially to those who have been born again. It has visible subjects those who have exercised repentance and faith, and have been buried with Christ in baptism, and are walking in the ordinances of the Lord's house. It has visible laws, which are contained in the Word of God. And it has visible ordinances: baptism and the
:

Lord's Supper.
Therefore,

we conclude
up a

that

Christ

is

a visible organization.
visible

the kingdom of Jesus Once more, it is certain

that Jesus Christ set

kingdom, from the

fol-

JNahire of the Succession.

:

15

lowing prediction of Daniel " And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a king-

dom, which

shall never be destroyed,

and the
but
it

kingdom

shall not be left to other people;

all these

shall

break in pieces and consume

shall stand forever."

kingdoms, and it The reign of grace had been up in

set

the hearts of

men

long before this prophecy was uttered

but the kingdom to be

the hearts of men.
is

up was

still

future

therefore,

this prediction could not refer to

the reign of grace in

all

It

is

admitted that the term church

the saints in

applied in the Scriptures to denote

;

heaven and on earth and that many of the children of God on earth do not belong to his true church and it may be that the term kingdom is used in the same way. But, I contend that Avhen the term kingdom is used, in the
;

New

Testament, with reference to this earth alone,

is

it

always refers to what

known

as the visible

kingdom.

Section IL

The

nature of the succession.

All well-informed Baptists are agreed in the belief

that we, as a people, have continued from the time of

Christ until the present.

teach the perpetuity of the

In other words, they hold and Church of Christ. They

believe that the Baptist succession exists; that there has

been no period of time since the death of Christ when

Baptists have not existed. But Baptists do not claim " apostolic succession/' because they admit that the apos-

Til ere

expired with the death of John the beloved. was no more necessity for the apostolic office when Christianity was fully established and the canon of revelation completed. Neither do we claim Popish succestolic office

16

The Kingdofn.
But
exist,

sion, for this is only the succession of Antichrist.

while some agree that the Baptist succession does

or that a succession of Baptists has continued from the

time of Christ to the present, yet they, at the same time,

deny

can be proved. This is wholly no one has the right to believe that which can not be proved. There can be no intelligent faith without evidence. If we have no evidence to prove a succession, it is out of the question to affirm that we bethat the succession
for

inconsistent;

lieve in the existence of such succession.

It appears that

the taunts of our opponents have caused some of us al-

most to surrender our birthright.

claim to succession
the Beast,^^
etc.
is

They

tell

us that this

a "Popish principle,^' a
shall

"mark

of

But

we

reject a Bible doctrine be-

cause
Shall

it

has been perverted by the Church of Kome"?

reject the divinity of Christ

we

because this

is

held

by the Church of Bome? Shall we reject the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper because these have been perverted by the Church of Home ? Or shall we give up our church organization because the Church of Home, professing to be the Church of Christ, has become the most cruel ecclesiastical despotism which has ever disgraced
the

name

of Christianity?

Shall

we

reject all

currency

because of the counterfeit?

surrender the perpetuity or succession of the " everlasting kingdom " of

shall

And

we

Jesus Christ because the Catholics have inaugurated the

Popish succession of Antichrist ?

But

again,

we

are told that there

is

no importance
;

whatever attached to the doctrine of succession that it makes no difference whether we are in the succession or
not, if

we hold the Bible doctrine at the present time But no man can hold the Bible doctrine of church organ-

Moiture of the Succession.

ization

17

who denies the saccession. No man can be in the church or kingdom of Jesus Christ who is not in that kingdom which has the succession from the apostolic age.
Is
it

not important to

know

that the words of Jesus

Christ have been verified which are recorded in Matt,

xvi: 18:

"Upon

this

rock I will build

my
it
'^

church, and
?

the gates of hell shall not prevail against

Is

it

not

important to know that the Church of Christ, which is the " pillar and ground of the truth," has been " kept by the

power of God " as the beacon-light of the world through the dark ages, while the masses of mankind were wondering after the Beast?
the more than
fifty

Is

it

not important to

know

that

millions of martyred saints,

whose

blood has been poured forth like rivers, or whose bones

have bleached upon the mountains and vales of Europe, and whose ashes have been scattered to the four winds of heaven, were members of the Church of Christ? Or shall we say, it makes no difference wdth us whether they fell as
martyrs of Jesus Christ or died as members of Antichrist?
cession of the churches of Jesus Christ.
:

no new doctrine among Baptists to claim the sucThe author of the Religious Encyclopedia says " They [Baptists] think
It
is

that the Christian church, properly so

called,

was not

visibly organized

the

family of

Abraham nor

in the wilderness of Sinai, but his

by the ministry of Christ himself and of

tles.

apos-

j|i

^ * * * ^11 this time there were Baptist churches. H * succession of the Novatians, or the true

church, has continued

down
:

Joseph Belcher says

tists

to the Reformation." " It will be seen that the Bap-^^^

claim the high antiquity of the commencement of the Christian church. They

Dcnom

in

E.

&

A., p. 53.

18

The Kingdom
t>'

can trace a succession of those who have believed the same doctrine and administered the same ordinances
directly

up

to the apostolic age.'^

Mr. Benedict
Ben
Hist.

says: ^^The

more I study the

subject, the

stroDger are
BapL,
^^^^^
.^^

my
.

convictions, that if all the

1^^

^^^^

^^^^ ^^^^^^

p. 51.

disclosed, a very J J

good succession could be made out.'^ Dr. Howell says " I assert that from the days of
:

the

apostles to the present time the true, legit-

wff

I'

i'inate

Baptist Church has

ever

been

missionary bodyJ^ John L. Waller says " Here we rest our cause
:

the

case
Baptists not Pron

is

made
xi

out.
-r>

The
i

doctrine of re

f
by

/LA_zii

loi'imiig

ranted
history.

r^i. x. Church is unwarby Scripture and unsupported

the

r^apal

The Church of Christ

thrown
;

w^as persecuted, but never over-

down, but not destroyed. It was built upon a rock, against which neither the powers of darkness nor the seductions of Satan, transformed into an angel of light, could prevail. Poor, persecuted, obscure, and despised,
cast
still

the true friends of the

Redeemer maintained the

great truths of our holy religion, unterrified by opposi-

and unseduced by corruption. And the honor of beand the w^ord of God, when the civilized nations of the earth had bowed in blind and
tion

ing the w^itnesses for the truth

servile obedience to the authority of the

Roman

Pontiff,

in sustaining in undiminished radiance

allar-fires of

our holy religion

confessed

and splendor the during the long and drearv and thus
in

darkness of the w^orld's midnight, belongs to the Bajjtists.

This
is

is

by

their enemies;

them

fuliilled the predictions

of the prophets, and illus-


(Baptist (Peculiarities.

19

traterl that

promise of the Savior,

'

that the gates of hell

should not prevail against his church/ '^

The

succession

was

also maintained

by the Baptist mar-

tyrs of past ages.

One important
is

object in pointing out

our denominational history

ren and
blood,

to stimulate the zeal of

mod-

ern Baptists by the heroic examples of our ancient brethsisters,

who

sealed their testimony with their

by showing that they suffered the loss of all things earthly for the same principles which distinguish us as a denomination. In other words, our principles have been handed down to us at the cost of the lives of millions of our brethren and sisters who loved the Church of Christ more than life itself. Like Abel, being dead, they yet
speak to us of the glorious things concerning the king-

dom

of Christ, and

still

continue to bear witness against

every form of Antichrist.

Section

III.

Baptist peculiarities.

Before following up our line of succession

necessary to lay

down some

characteristic features
all

have distinguished Baptists from

past ages.
It
is
;

becomes which others through the

it

said

by Solomon that Wisdom hath

built her

house

she hath

hewn

out her seven pillars

and I

will

here present seven pillars or peculiarities which distin-

guish Baptists from

1.
y

all others.

The Baptists as a church or kingdom, recognize Jesua Christ alone as their founder and head. 2. The Baptisis regard the Bible alone as their rule of faith and practice, 3. The Baptists perpetuate the Bible order of the com-

20

The Kingdom.
they teach repentance, faith, baptism,

mandments ;
4.

and

the

Lord's Supper.
Baptists immerse, or bury with Christ in baptism,
to

only those who profess

5.

be

dead

to,

or freed from, sin.

Baptists recognize equal rights or privileges in the

Baptists observe the Lord's Supper at his table in his

execution of the laws of the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

6.

kingdom.
7.

Baptists have never persecuted others ; but have them-

selves

always been peculiarly persecuted and every-where

is

spoken against.

There
ities.

no denomination in
are,
therefore.

all

Christendom, except

the Baptists, which holds any one of these seven peculiar-

They

Baptist peculiarities.

All
be

Christians

who

hold and practice these principles

may

regarded as belonging to the Baptist family, whether they

are called Missionary,
tists.

Old School,

or Seventh-day

Bap-

We

are not contending for the succession of the

name "
tists

Baptist,'^
is

but for the perpetuity of the Church of

Baptist Church." Baphave never been sticklers about their name. They have been called by a multitude of names by their eneEven the name Baptist was not assumed by them. mies. On this point Joseph Belcher remarks '^ The name of
Christ, which
:

now called " The

Baptist

originated, not wdth the party

so-called,

but

wdth

their

opponents.

Formerly they were called Anabaptists, or i?e-baptizers, which they rejected as involving what they deemed a misrepresentation because, in their view, none are baptized but the parties mentioned in the Scriptural law relating to the subject, and to whom it is administered in the only
;

prescribed mode.'^

But

as the

name

Baptist

is

not a mis-

(Baptist (Peculiarities.

21

representation,

we

raise

no objection to

it.

The

first

ad-

ministrator of baptism was called the Baptist

tion;

and

as

by inspiraBaptist churches administer the same ordiit is

nance through their ministers, therefore

tural to call

not unscrip-

them Baptist churches. The Baptist denomination of America numbers over a million members, and is the most influential and aggressive church on the continent.

Our enemies

are as

much

divided in their testimony in regard to our origin as were

the witnesses who testified against Jesus. Some say that we sprang from the " Hard-Shell ^^ or Anti-Mission Baptists 'others, that we originated with Roger Williams, or
;

the Munster riot; while all are agreed in saying,

"Away

with them."

22

Missionary and Old School

^Baptists.

CHAPTEH
THE
1.

II.

" MISSION APwY"

AND

''OLD

SCHOOL" BAPTISTS.

The Regulah Baptists, who are also called "Missiojfary" or "Uxited" Baptists, a.^j) the Anti-Mission Baptists, were associated together as One People.
In the separation, the Hard-Shell, or Anti-Mission Baptists, were the seceding party, which with-

2.

drew FROM the EeGULAR

3.

BAPTISTS.

4.

5.

"Fro^i tpie Days of the Apostles to the Present Time, the True, Legitimate Baptist. Church has ever BEEN A Missionary Body." The Churches founded by Christ and the Apostles WERE Missionary Churches. The Ancient Regular Baptists were in favor of Ministerial Education.
1. The regular baptists and the antimission BAPTISTS WERE ONCE ASSOCIATED TOGETHER AS ONE PEOPLE.
is

Section

It

a fact

worthy of

note, that

no well informed

his-

torian has ever attempted to locate the time, place,

and
can
of

manner of the
side of Christ
tell

origin of the Baptist denomination this

and the

apostles.

But

all historians

the year, the country,

and the manner of the

rise

all

other denominations.
the several founders of these sects, but

They can name

they can not
tell

the origin of the Baptists.

them
not

as the Pharisees

They arc by were by John's baptism, " they can

some of
less information, or

tell.''

But of

late
^^

candor,

contend that the

Missionary Baptists " broke olf from

Once One
the

(People.

23

"Old

School/' or "Hard-Sheir^ Baptists, about thirty

or forty years ago.

I'all

And

the Anti-Mission brethren even

the missionaries the

tell

"New

School Baptists.'^
that

And
when
Misis

some even

us that they can remember very well

'^

the " Missionaries

started!

Now,

all

is

necessary

in order to settle this question of the priority of the

sionary or Anti-IIissionary parties

among

Baptists,

to

appeal to historic facts and documents.

may surprise some when they are informed, that no among Baptists were ever called "Old School'^ until after the separation, about the year 1832, when the
It

party

Anti-Mission brethren assumed the name

Baptists.''

" Old
The

School

The Regular
history

Baptists

and

the

Anti-Mission Baptists
opposi-

were once together as one peoptle; and, therefore, their

up

to the separation

was the same.

tion of our

Anti-Mission brethren to the mission work,

and kindred objects, is a new feature among Baptists. There are some of the so-called " Old Baptists," who have and lapsed into Two-seedism and Non-resurrectionism have thereby denied the faith; but there are others of them who still possess, in their church organization, the
;

peculiar features of true Baptists.

It
is,

therefore, evident that such of the

Hard-Shell

churches as have not denied the peculiarities of the denomination, are

Baptist family.
still

to be regarded as a part of the great

it

Though

is

equally evident that the

most of them have impaired their usefulness by speculating on the decrees and purposes of God to the neglect of There is now a growing faithful ])rcacliing to sinners. disposition on the part of many of these good brethren, to
recede from some extremes in their

manner of preaching.

24

Missionary and Old

Scliool (Baptists,

and co-operate with us again

in the spread of the Gospel.

is

And we
tists will

fondly hope that the day

not distant,

when

f^H

prejudice of each party will be buried, and all true Bap

stand together in the

times past.

But

in following

army of our Master, as iu up the Baptist succession,

^'

justice requires the correction of those false impressions

which locate the origin of the " Missionary

those

Baptists with

who

call themselves "

Old

Baptists."

Section

II.

OR ANTI-MISSION BAPTISTS
BAPTISTS.

In the separation, the " hard shell" WERE THE SECEDING

PARTY, WHICH WITHDREW FROM THE REGULAR

This secession, upon the part of our Anti-Mission
brethren, occurred at different times in different parts of

the country.
year, 1832.

In Virginia, the separation took place in the Elder S. Trott, an ^^Old School Baptist" of
^'
:

distinction, says of the separation

Rel.

This brought brethren,

i

churches and associations that had been

Derwm. in
U.

^ n

dC B

87

under the burdens oi human inventions and impositions in religion,

gi'O^ii^i^g

xi

/>

to separate themselves,

some sooner and some

later,

from

the whole mass of the popular religion and religionists,

and

to take a stand as a distinct people,

upon the Old

Baptist standard.

The holding

of the Scriptures as the

only and a perfect rule of faith and practice, and Christ as the Foundation, the Head, and the Life of the Church,
the only source and

medium

of Salvation.

This separa-

tion occasioned the splitting of several associations,

and

many churches.
the name,
^

We took, as a distinguishing appellation,

Baptists.' "

Old School

Here

is

the candid

Hard=S hells
confession of a

Secede.

lea<iing Anti-]Mission Baptist, that

the

Old School ^^ or " Primitive " Baptists, separated themselves from the body of the denomination, and took a stand " as a distinct people '^ and
brethren

now claiming to

be "

name, "Old School Baptists/' Therefore, according to Elder Trott, there was no body of Baptists in the world calling
at that time, about 1832, took the appellation or

themselves

"Old
says
:

School," prior to the year 1832.

In Tennessee the separation occurred

M. Watson
in the

Dr. John later. " After our painful separation from the
^^^-^

Missionaries in 1836, a number of churches,

bounds of the Old Concord Asso- ^^^J^^'P^p. 36. elation, met together and formed the Stone River Association. We had then, as was generally supposed, a strong and happy union but, alas there was an element of heresy incorporated in that body as bad, if not worse, than that from which we had just withdrawn.^' In the above, Dr. Watson admits that the "Old Baptists" separated or withdrew from the "Missionaries." It is admitted that, in some cases, the Anti-Mission brethren had the majority in churches, and even in some associations; but as a body they were largely in the minority only a fraction wheii the separation occurred. Elder Jeter
;
!

says

of these Baptists:

"The

class

of
^^'^'PJ^'f^ ffexamined, p. 33.

Baptists described in the above extract ^ 1 o 1 were, called, some places, Old School,

and in

others,

held their seceding convention

from the name of the place at which they Black Rock' Baptists.

They separated themselves from the Regular Baptists about the time of the rise of Mr. Campbell's Reformation."

And

Elder Bebe, of

New York,

the Anti-Mission

editor, admits, in substance, the truth of the

above posi-

26

Missionary and Old School

(Baptists.

tion, that the

" Old School " Baptists seceded or withdre^v

It has already

from the " Missionary " Baptists. Other authorities might

be adduced in confirmation of the same.
Baptists were the seceding party.

been fully shown, that in the separation the Anti-Mission

Section

^r &"
,

III.

"From the days of the apostles to

^

THE PRESENT TIME, THE TRUE, ^^'"''^'^^ BAPTIST CHURCH HAS EVER BEEN A MISSIONARY
is

This declaration of Dr. Howell

historic facts.

fully sustained

by

The
is

opposition

mission work,

of recent

among Baptists to the date. But our Anti-Mission

system.

brethren

tell

us that they are not opposed to Bible mis-

sions y but only to the

modern missionary

Actions

speak louder than words. If the modern Baptists, who claim to be the " Old School " or " Primitive ^^ Baptists,

have ever sent out a missionary, either to the home or forWhat eign field, I have not been informed of the fact. " Hard-Shell ^^ church has ever employed a missionary,

upon the Bible or any other plan

ally Anti-Mission Baptists.

They

are emphatic-

But were the ancient

to

Baptists,

up
"

to the time of the

separation. Missionary or Anti- Missionary f

In

his Letters

Dr. Watson, Dr. Howell says

Dr.Wat^

But

it is

particularly

Lettei'sto

son, p. 9.

to the fact, that the Philadelphia Asso... !. v x i? ciation, irom our earliest account oi it, '
j.

'

was a missionary body, that I wish to call your attention. To place this beyond dispute, I shall quote a few items from the official records of that body.

Ancient baptist Missionaries.

But
first, if

27

you
is,

please, turn to Benedict's

History of the
see that iu

Baptists, vol. II, p. 99, etc.;

and you

Avill

1753

that

eighty-four years ago

the Philadelphia As-

sociation sent Elder

John Gano

as a missionary to the

churches in North Carolina, which were soon after formed

into the

Kehukee

Association.

The next

year, 1754, the

two other missionaries to assist him Elders Benjamin Miller and Peter P. Vanhorn by the instrumentality of whose united labors these churches, previously deranged, and nearly what Campbellites now are, were reclaimed and set in order, and many sinners were
association sent

converted.
ation,

Yes,

my brother,

even the

Kehukee Associ-

and proscription In this quotation it is shown, that the largest and most influential association in America, the Philadelphia, was a missionary body, and that the Kehukee Association was
distinguished for
its

now

bitterness

of missionaries, was collected by missionary labor.''

formed, as the fruits of the labors of her missionaries

eighty years prior to the Hard-Shell separation.

We

are informed

by Benedict, the
first

historian,

in

his

chapter on Virginia, that the

Baptist
j^'

church in that State was organized by

^^
^^V^9

Robert Xordin, a missionary, who sailed from England in 1714. His brother missionary, Thomas White, who sailed with him, died before they reached America but Elder Nor din Avas joined, a few years after
;

by two other missionary preachers Casper Mintz and Kichard Jones from England, wlio aided in planting the first Baptist churches in Virginia and North Carolina. These BajDtists were so filled with the missionary spirit that a few families, which moved to North Carolina, ^' in ten years became sixteen churches." Thus, in
his arrival,

28^

Missionary and Old School

(Baptists.

examining the history of the old Baptists of America,

more than one hundred years before the Hard-Shell separation,

we
:

find that these old Baptists

were missionary

Baptists.

Again

Dr. Howell, in his Letters to Dr. Watson, has

furnished us with the following valuable account of the

missionary

work of the old

Baptists, not " Hard-Shells,"

:

of the old
Letters to Dr.
-,r.

Charleston Association
Association,

" The Charleston

its
j.i

honored for

antiquity,

i j and orthodoxy, was ^^ formed the 21st day of October, 1751i In 1755, four years after its constitution, and eighty-two years ago, there is this record [Furman's History of

Wat-

pisty,

intelligence,

1 1

the Charleston Association, Charleston edition of 1811,

pp. 10, 11, etc.]
;

^The Association, taking

into consid-

eration the destitute condition of

rior settlements of this

many

places in the inte-

and the neighboring States (then provinces), recommended to the churches to make contributions for the support of a missionary to itinerate in
those parts.

Mr. Hart was authorized and requested,

provided a

sufficient

sum should be

raised, to procure, if

possible, a suitable person for the purpose.

With

this

view he visited Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the following year, and prevailed with Rev. John Gano to undertake the service,

who

attended the annual meeting, and

was

cordially received.
to visit the

The
first,

association requested

Mr.

Gano

Yadkin

and afterward

to

bestow

his labors

He devoted himself
for

wherever Providence should appear to direct. to the work. It afforded ample scope his distinguished piety, eloquence and fortitude ; and
were crowned with remarkable
professed the Gospel.
success.

his ministrations

Many embraced and

The following

Ancient

(Baptist Missionaries.

29

year he received from the association a letter of thanks for his faithfulness and industry in the mission.' " Thus

we

see,

that the old Baptists of the old Charleston Associ-

ation were 3Iissionary Baptists.

And

it

will be

abundthe

antly proved

that the

Anti-lVIission

brethren are

"iS'ew School'^ Baptists.

We

again call the attention

of the reader to the doings of the Philadelphia Association,

which

is

the oldest and most influential Association

This association was organized in 1707, one hundred and sixty-three years ago, and has continued to
in

America.

the present time.

The minutes

of this association for one

hundred years are preserved in book-form. And in the minute of 1766 w^e have the following record " After that prayer, .it was moved and agreed ... Asso. Phil. Bapt. ii n J p ^ it is most necessary lor the good oi the q.,
:

J.1

Baptists'

interest,

that

the

association

have at their disposal, every year, a sum of money. Accordingly, it was further agreed that the churches, henceforth, do make a collection every quarter, and send the same yearly to the association, to be by them deposited in the hands of trustees; the interest whereof only to be
:

by them

laid out every year in support of ministers trav-

eling on the errand of the churches, or otherwise, as the

necessities of said churches shall require.''

And,

also, in

the year 1794,

ciation
to
:

we have

the following action of this asso-

" In consequence of information communicated

association
it is

the

by Brother William
^gg

Rogers,

desired that all donations for

the propagation of the Gospel

among

the
"'

Hindoos
the

in the

in the next year

And East Indies, be forwarded to him. we have the following " Agreed, that
:

churches be advised to

make

collections

for

the

30

Missionary and Old School

(Baptists.

Phil BapL Asso.

f**

missionaries to the East Indies,

and

for-

^^'*

ward the same

to

Dr. Rogers/^

The character of this body is set forth in the language H. G. Jones, the editor of these minutes, as follows: ^' The Philadelphia Association, from the first, has engaged
of
earnestly in efforts for the proper education

Phil BapL
p. 5.

Asso.

^^

.^^
.

ministers and the spread of the Gos^

pel in the world.

Rhode Island
its

College,

now Brown

University, received
its origin,

patronage and conhas been an

tributions from

as the subsequent minutes show.

It will be seen also, that,

effective missionary

from the

first, it

body.

Hundreds of churches have

been gathered by the able and self-denying men, sent out

where no religious privileges had aborigines were not overlooked in this labor of love. Among other efforts, the Rev. David Jones, before the American Revolution, made a missionary
at its expense to regions

before been enjoyed.

The

excursion, at his

own

expense, to the Indians of what was

then the 'Far West'.''

From the foregoing reliable documents, and others which

might be introduced, it Baptists, from the very
aration,
is

fully settled that the

American

first

down

were missionaries.

Hard-Shell sepAnd, instead of the Antito the

'^

Mission brethren being entitled to the appellation,

Baptists,"
Letters to Dr.

Okl

by way of
set

distinction, they are

"a new fangled

Wat-

g^^

the present century.^

,^
,
.

of Baptists, never lieard of untij within o -x ^, i\ it is altogether So

It not only does injustice to
it

a misrepresentation, to call the Anti-Mission brethren Old Baptists.

the Regular Baptists of America, but

also tends to con-

firm the Anti-jNIission brethren in their opposition to the

spread of the Gospel, through missionary labor.

Ancient

(Baptist Missionaries.

31

brethren,

In regard to the names assumed by the Anti-Mission Mr. Benedict says " Old School and Primitive
:

Baptists are ap]3ellations so entirely out of place, that I

can not, even as a matter of courtesy, use them without

adding, so-called, or some such expression.
T 1 have seen so
1

much
1

oi

i?

xi

the missionary

Sis. Bapt., Ben., qq-

spirit

among

the old Anabaptists,

sects
;

Waland perpetual
claim as

denses,

and other ancient

efforts

so vigorous

were the

of those Christians,

whom we
all

Baptists, in the early, middle,

and

later ages, to spread

the Gospel in all parts of the world,

among

nations and
it is

languages where they could gain access, that

that those

plain

who merely preach up

predestination,

and do

nothing, have no claim to be called by their name.'^

But were our denominational ancestors of the Old World No. The Old English Baptists were thorough missionaries. Mr. Benedict describes their General Association as follows: "The year 1689 was a
Anti-Mission Baptists?
distinguished epoch in the history of the

English Baptists, on account of the General

'

*'

''

Assembly, which then convened in

London and published a confession of faith, which was long a standard work among them. This assembly was composed of delegates from upward of a hundred [one
hundred and seven] congregations, from different parts of They met Sept. 3d, and continued in session nine days; a narrative of their proceeding was

England and Wales.

])ublished soon after."

in this

body

is

recorded thus

One item of business transacted " At this Convention the

:

denomination, among other things, resolved

r 1 r to raise a luncl tor missionary purposes,
J.

Sis. Bapt., Ben.. r,on / i

and

to assist feeble churches

also for the

32

Missionary and Old School

(Baptists.

purpose of ministerial education.

1796.^'

Rippori's Register for

This was an association of Particular Baptists, which met one hundred and forty-three years before the

Hard-Shell withdrawal.

And

they raised funds for mis"

sionary purposes and ministerial education ; therefore, they

were not Anti-Mission Baptists. So, these Old English and Welsh Baptists were " Missionary ^^ Baptists. But,
again, all admit that the

Old Welsh
any

Baptists were as true

to the cause of Christ as

others.

Were

they Anti-

Welsh had been prevented by cruel persecutions from meeting in large bodies or associations, and carrying out their plans of united efforts in the mission work; but as soon as an opportunity was offered, they met again in an
Mission Baptists ?
Baptists

No.

For

several centuries the

associational capacity.

Davis, in his History, gives the

following account of the association which met at Aber-

gavenny
fore the

in 1653, one

Hard-Shell secession
^^^^%^

^^^^'\

J^

hundred and seventy-nine years be" In the association held at Swansea, 1654, the Church at Llantrisaint proposed to assist the Church at Ab:

ergavenny,
their minister;

which

also they did.

now Llanwenarth,.to support From the messenis,

gers of Llantrisaint, also, the proposal to revive the ancient

order of things, came the preceding year; that

to en-

courage and support the missionary cause.

ren in the

Let our breth-

New World

look and stare at this, especially

our Anti-Missionary friends!

Be it known unto them, Welsh Association held at Abergavenny, county of Monmouth, South Wales, collec* tions were made, when the Y/elsh Church subscribed to
that in the year 1653, in the
raise a

fund for missionary purposes.

Their plan

Avas, for

the messengers of every church to mention a certain sum,

Apostolic Churches Missionary.

33

and bind themselves to bring that sum with them to the next association. For instance, Swansea, 5; LlantriNo one was comsaint, 2 10s.; Carmarthen, 2 10s. pelled to give anything neither was any messenger ever blamed for making such arrangements, but was cheerfully assisted by his brethren to fulfill them.^^ We have not only found that the early American Baptists were missionaries, but the English and Welsh Baptists, from whom they sprang, were missionaries also. The ancient order of things with them was to encourage and support the missionary cause. We may consider it a point established, that the old English and Welsh Baptists were missionaries. But where did the missionary " The further system originate ? Mr. Benedict says
;
:

down I go
of
all

into the regions of antiquity,

is

the more fully

the missionary character

^^"'

^qo-^'^^

''

whom we

denominate our sentiIt

mental brethren, developed.^^

would be a work of
to the jDresent time,

supererogation to introduce further historic evidence to

prove, that/ro??i the days of the apostles
the true, legitimate Baptist

Church has

ever been

a miswill,

sionary body.
It
is

to

be hoped that no one professing intelligence

in the future, so far betray his ignorance, or malice, as to

affirm that the " ^lissionary ^' Baptists originated with the

" Old SchooP^ Baptists, between thirty and forty years ago.

Section IY.

The churches founded by christ AND the apostles WERE MISSIONARY CHURCHES.
Head and
LaAvgiver, was the Sent or
lost

Jesus Christ, the

Missionary of the Father, on a mission of mercy to a

34
world.

Missionary and Old School

The Holy
Spirit
is

(Baptists.

the Missionary of the Father

and the Son,

sinners, etc.

sent to comfort the disciples

and

to reprove

The twelve
field

apostles were missionaries, sent

by Jesus
but after

Christ to publish salvation to sinners.

Their missionary
is

was

at first limited to the land of Judea,

the enlargement of the commission, the field

the world.

The commission was not given

apostolic character.

to the disciples in their

If this were the case, the authority

office.

of the commission ceased with the apostolic

Neither

was
ity

it

given to them in their ministerial character only;

were the case, all ordinations by church authorwould be mere assumption and the ministry would have no necessary connection with, or dependence on, the churches. But the commission was given to them in their
for, if this
;

church capacity
ciples, in person,

and, consequently,

it

remains with the

his disall

churches to this day.

While the Savior was with

he retained in his

own hands

author-

ity in his

kingdom.

But, before his ascension to the

that, not

Father, he clothed his church with the executive authority

in his
all

kingdom.

So

even an inspired apostle, or

of them together, ever attempted to perform a church except as ministers or servants of the churches.

act,

The

presume to appoint a successor to fill the vacancy occasioned by the fall of Judas, but this was done by the church, composed of men and women. But, did
apostles did not
this

out missionaries
A.cts

Jerusalem church, established by Christ himself, send ? Yes ; for it is said in Acts " Then
:

11

^^ 22

tidings of these things

came unto the

ears of
:

the church which was at Jerusalem

and

they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as

tioch."

Anto

Yes

this

model church sent out a missionary

Apostolic Churches Missionary.

a heathen city to preach the Gospel.
mission.

35

This was a foreign

Thus, we have seen that the church organized by the personal ministry of Christ, was a missionary church for she sent forth Barnabas to Antioch to preach
;

the Gospel.

And

this

Church

at Antioch, gathered

by

missionary labor, sent out Barnabas and Paul, on a misThis is recorded thus " And when sion to the heathen.
:

they had

and prayed, and laid their 10.04 hands on them, they sent them away. So, they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto and from thence they sailed to Cyprus, ^^ And Selucia after these eminent missionaries had preached the Gospel
fiisted
:
.

successfully to

many heathen

cities,

they returned to the

same church and made a report of their labors and suc" And when cess in their mission, which is thus recorded they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.'^ We have now discovered that the churches at Jerusalem and Antioch were missionary churches. And of a certain brother, Paul said " And we have sent with him [Titus] the brother, Vjwhose praise is in the Gospel throughout and not that only, but who was also all the churches;
:

'

chosen of the churches to travel with

us,^' etc.

This brother

was chosen of

the churches

and sent on a mission; and

these brethren were called "messengers of the churches."

As we have shown that the model Church at Jerusalem, and some of the churches planted by the apostles, were missionary, it is evident that all those churches were of the same character, from the fact that they were organized under the direction of the Spirit. And, in re-

36

Missionary and Old School

tlie

(Baptists.

gard to

support of these missionaries, Paul said, " Even so hath the Lord ordained that they

which preach the Gospel should live of the is the foreordination and decree of God And more the aposfor the support of the ministry. tle Paul ventured to take ivages for his support in the missionary work. He said, " I robbed other ^ ^ ^ 2 Cor. 11: 8. i ^ t /^^ wages oi tnem, ^ churches, taking to do you service." But if a modern missionary should do the same thing, it would be considered, by some of our antibrethren, a very high crime. The great ado made by our brethren concerning missionary boards, and the manner of raising means for the support of our missionaries, appears
Gospel.'^

Here

to

me

to

be altogether puerile.

of Jesus Christ to his missionaries,

the Gospel to every creature.

excuse for the neo-lect of this

a bitter controversy to arise

The emphatic command is, to go and jireach The minister can frame no uro^ent command. But for about the mode of travel,

whether the missionary should go on foot, as did Christ and some of the apostles; on horse-back, in a carriage,
or
lous.

would amount to the supreme of the ridicuof the same nature, to my mind, is the modern comlbversy about the means of sending funds to the

by

ship,

And

missionaries in the field.

We

regard

it

as of very small

moment whether

the

"wages"

for missionary support be

the fruit of individual donations, whether in or out of the

church, or of the liberality of one or

many

churches ; and,

whether these icages be sent to him by a messenger appointed by one church or many, or whether these v/'ages
are collected

pointed for that purpose,

and forwarded by a missionary board apThese is of small consequence.

matters do not enter into church orQ:anization, but they

Ministerial Education
iire

Ancient

(Baptists.

37

2)ccuniary transactions left to the taste or convenience

tiie

of

brethren, so that all things are done honestly in

the fear of God.

To my mind

it

would be

just as suitable for the Anti-

Mission brethren to contend that no missionary should

ride on horse-back, because the Saviour rode an ass
;

or,

that no Christian has a right to travel

by

rail,

because
!

neither Christ nor the apostles traveled in this

would not undervalue, in the least, any law or of Jesus Christ, but would urge strict obedience to all the And I consider it a positive requisitions of Keaven. command, resting on the churches of Christ, to execute the
commission
to

way I command

'preach the Gospel to every creature.

This

they must do to the extent of their ability, through their

servants, the ministry; otherwise they are guilty before

God, of disobedience
vior.

to a positive

command

of our Sa-

Section Y.

The ancient regular baptists FAVOR OF ministerial EDUCATION.

That not many wise m^i
not

in

Baptists freely admit, "

after
,, ^

the flesh, not

are called.'^

many mighty,

many

noble

/^^

But, at the same time, they

hold, with Paul, that the minister of Christ should "study

to show^^ himself

"approved unto God, a

workman

that needeth not to be ashamed,

rightly dividing the

word of truth. '^

from

The Regular
terial

Baptists of America,

whom

the

Anti-Mission brethren seceded, were in favor of miniseducation from the very

is

first.

This fact

fully settled

by reference

to the

Minutes of

38

Missionary and Old School

(Baptists.

the Philadelphia Association,

tive of Baptist practice

which was the representa-

on

this continent for

many

years.

In the Minutes of 1722, more than a hundred years before the Hard-Shell separation, we have the following ^^ record of the action of this association It was pro:

posed for the churches to

Phil.
,^_

make

inquiry

Bapt ^

Asso.

among

themselves,

.i

it

they have any youug

,1

persons hopeful for the ministry, and inclinable for learning;

it

and if they have, to give notice of Mr. Able Morgan before the 1st of November, that he might recommend such to the Academy on ^Ir. Hollis, his account." And some time after this the Rhode Island College, now Brown University, was established under
to

the

patronage of the association, for the education of

ministers.

young Baptist
P/uZ. JLsso. p. 109.

And
,

in the year 1769,

,

"All

^,

.,

^^

the ministers of this association have explicitly

endeavoring to raise
the education of

engaged to exert themselves more for the same purpose " ; ^. e.,
ministers.

m
for

young

Again, in the Minutes of 1789, we have the following " After conferring upon the necessity and

fund for the eduand promising young men for the ministry, we, the members present, do engage to promote subscriptions in our respective churches and congregations, for said purpose and to bring in the monies
"ir
^^-*

^^^'

ii^iportance of raising a

cation of pious

raised,
tion, to

with the subscription papers, to the next associabe at their disposal.'^

question
is

The
ion.

now

settled

the real Old Baptists of

America were hearty

in the support of ministerial educa-

The

opposition

among

Baptists to the education of the

Ministerial Education
ministry
is

Ancient (Baptists.
By an

39

modern development.
it

examination

of the Minutes
sociation,
estly
its

will be seen that "

first,

The Philadelphia As^,

.,
,

from the

has enarao^ed earnoi

m enorts lor the proper education

College,

ministers and the spread of the Gospel in the world,

Rhode Island
its

now Brown

University, received
its

patronage and

contributions,

from

origin, as the

subsequent Minutes show/'

Bristol College

Among

English Baptists,

by the liberality of Mr. Terrill, under the patronage of Broad Mead Church. This Baptist College went into operation in the year 1710, more than a hundred J^ /^''^^"^mn was
established,

years before the Anti-Mission division.

vast

...

...

Bapt., p. 409.

number of

ministers have been educated in this col-

lege, several of

whom

emigrated to America and aided

in planting our early churches.

And

also, in the

General
in

Association of Baptists, which convened in

London

1689,
1 1

it

was "resolved
1

to raise a

fund for

missionary T3urposes, and to assist feeble

^ cliurches; also, ^ lor the purpose oi ministerial education.''

^^' ^' , -f^^ p. 336, no^el.

''

Thus the
question

question

is

made

out, that the real old

English

Baptists were in favor of ministerial education.

But the

may

still

be asked

Were

the Dutch Baptists

in favor of ministerial education?

Of them Mr. Cramp

to carry into

remarks
" During their troubles,
effect
it

any educational plans.

was impossible AVhen peace

was restored, the desirableness of securing an educated ministry became a matter of

earnest consideration.

J..^^^^^

^^

'

Sound views were

entertained, and

40

Missionary and Old School

^Baptists.

a college was established at Amsterdam, which has proved

a great blessing to the denomination."

This college was established by the

dred and
fifty

Dutch Baptists

about the close of the sixteenth century, about two hunyears before the Hard-Shell opposition to
ministerial education.

The

ancient Baptists were not only favorable to the edu-

cation of ministers, but they also favored the education of

the masses.
school, in

Robinson gives an account of a Baptist female Bohemia, in the time of the reign of Uladislaus
a school for

II., as follows:
^^

They kept
'

young

ladies,

and

their

of education and the purity of their

^

mode man-

^^^

'

ners w^ere in such high repute, that the

daughters of a very great part of the nobility of

Bohemia were sent

thither to be educated;

and

their bitterest enemies say, they kept the

young

ladies

from the company of the other

sex, and formed their manners with so much innocence, that there was nothing

reprehensible except the one single article of heresy."

Here we have the account of a Baptist female school hundreds of years before the " Hard-Shell " opposition to
education.

The

ancient Waldensian Baptists were also

in favor of education.

Perrin says

"In
ei

the year 1229, the Waldenses had already spread

themselves in great numbers throughout

rin
s
'

is

ory
^^i Italy.

They had

ten schools in Yal-

all

camonica alone, and they sent money from parts of their abode in Lombardy, for the maintenance

and support of said schools." So the ancient Waldenses were not "Hard-Shells" on the school question. They
supported denominational schools in the year 1229, more

Feinale Education.

4;i

than six hundred years before the "Hard-Shell" separation.

So

it

may be

set

down

as a settled point, that on

the questions of 7nissions

brethren are the

New

and education, our Anti-Mission School Baptists.

42

American

(Baptists,

CHAPTER
1.

III.

AMERICAN BAPTISTS.
RoGEE, Williams

was neyePv a Member of a true,

legit-

2.

3.

4.

imate Baptist Church. The Newport, and kot the present Providence First Church, the oldest Baptist Church in America. No present Baptist Church or Minister has Baptism BY Succession from Roger Williams. Baptist Ministers from Europe who aided in Planting the early american churches.

Section I. Eoger Williams was never a member OF A TRUE, legitimate BAPTIST CHURCH.
While the Baptists are peculiar
regard to their history.
other denominations
recent date, or
is

in every leading fea-

ture in their church organization, they are equally so in

The church

succession of all

interrupted by a

human

origin of

merged

into the succession of the

Komish

apostacy ; but the Baptists claim a succession independent

of Rome, or any other worldly establishment, directly up
to the time of Christ on earth. The false representation, that the " Missionary ^' Baptists originated with the '' Old

the last chapter.

SchooP^ or Anti-Mission Baptists, has been fully met in And our succession, as Eegular or Misus beyond the "Hard-ShelP'

sionary Baptists, carries

separation.

our succession, reaching back to the time of the settlement of the American colonies, is undisputed.

And

In following up our history, during this period of two hundred and forty years, many have been the trials and

(koger Williams not fully a (Baptist.

43

persecutions to which our brethren have been subjected. ^Ve find them in Virginia and Massachusetts, suffering reproaches, fines, banishments, imprisonments and whipping, for their unwavering attachment to Baptist principles.

Baptists have, in every age, been the firm sup-

porters of civil as well as religious liberty.

Therefore, in

the Revolutionary

War, they stood with Washington, in defense of American liberty, against the British yoke. And, as will be seen in the sequel, American liberty owey
existence to Baptist influence.

its

But in following up the Baptist succession, we are again met by the stereotyped charge, that the American Baptists all sprang from Roger Williams, and their baptisms from his informal baptism; and consequently their chain of succession is broken. And this charge, that Roger Williams is the father and founder of the Baptist denomination in America, is attempted to be sustained by the statement of Mr. Benedict, as follows: "In 1639, he [Roger Williams] was baptized by Ezekiel Holli^^' ^^ man, a layman who was appointed by the ^^^ little company for the purpose then he baptized the rest of the company, and thus laid the foundation for the first Baptist church in Providence, and on the American continent.^' Now, if there was no uncertainty concerning the correctness of the above statement, it would prove nothing in regard to the origin of the Baptist churches of America. It would be entirely gratuitous to infer that all the
'' ;

churches on the continent sprang from this, even if it had been the first church organized in America. Many churches have been organized from which no other churches have originated. But Mr. Benedict himself w^as confused

44

American

(Baptists.

and

unsettled in regard to the Iloger

Williams

affair.

And

after writing the above,

he makes the following remarks

*''The

more I study on this subject, the more I am unsetAs to his retiring soon tled and confused.
^'
""^
*'

^4 4Q

froi^ the pastoral office, there can be

no

dispute; but whether this

was on account
^ ^

of the burden of public duties, or from embarrassments in

his feelings, is a point

by no means

clear.

It

has been said that he joined with the Seekers

dissatisfied

because

with

baptism,

etc.

church organizations, with his layand waited for the revival of a new and
all

apostolical order of things.'^

The

fact that

Benedict was, in mind, "unsettled and

affair,

confused " in regard to the Roger Williams

his testimony

renders

on this subject of but

little

value.

ISTo

man

can speak or write clearly and definitely upon a subject

about which he

is

"unsettled and confused.'^

I would

not impeach the veracity of Mr. Benedict as a historian

but I only propose to introduce, from other historians, the

settle the points upon which he was And, by way of settling these points, we will now proceed to show that Roger Williams was never a memberJ much less the founder of a true, legitimate Baptist Church. On this subject, Mr. Backus, the historian, says "Mr. Williams had been accused before of embracing principles which tended to Anabaptism; ac.?<s, IS., ^^^ ^^ March, 1639, he was baptized by one of his brethren, and then he baptized about ten more. But in July following, such scruples were raised in his mind about it, that he refrained from such administrations among them. Mr. Williams dis-

facts necessary to

unsettled.

I.

covers in his writing, that as sacrifices and other acts of

(koger Williams not fully a (Baptist.

45

worship were omitted by the people of God, while his

temple lay in ruins; and that they were restored again by

immediate direction from Heaven, so that some such direction was necessary to restore the ordinances of baj)tism and the supper, since the desolation of the church in mystical

Babylon.^'

We here learn from Mr. Backus that, within four months

Mr. Williams retired from his position as and renounced his own baptism as invalid, and waited for the ordinances of baptism and the supper to be restored by immediate direction from Heaven. And as he rejected the church ordinances, which are essential to church existence, he therefore rejected all claims for his society to be a Church of Christ. And, as
after his baptism,

pastor of his society,

he thus repudiated the claims of his society to be a church

at all,

he thereby rejected

all

member.
church
?
^^

The

question

may

claims to have been a church be asked, " What is the cause

of the confusion concerning the history of the Providence

The answer
eral quotations.

is

found in the history of the

first

Baptist

church in America, by

S. Adlam, from which I make sevMr. Adlam says ^^ The First Bapt. Chin church at Providence never has had any creed or any covenant; till the year 1700 it had no meeting-house, but, in fine weather, worshiped
:

in a grove, and,
till

when

inclement, in private houses.

it

the year 1775,

had

any regular records.

Not Can w^e

be surprised that, in tracing the history of such a body,

a hundred years after
its origin,

carefully studied, that material errors will be

unless ancient writers are made ? " It

thus appears that the

written records for

first

church in Providence had no

after its

more than a hundred years

46

Artier ic an baptists.

orgauization.

And

it

will also appear that the compiler

of these records was incompetent to the task, from the

fact that
facts.

he made several gross As an example of his

errors in regard to

blunders, Mr.

known Adlam in-

serts,

from the Church Records, the following; "^Rev. Thomas Olney succeeded (Gregory Dex^^^^

FirstBapt.Ch.in
2j'
'

to the, pastoral office.

28

^* Hertford, in

He was born England, about the year

He
was the

1631, and came to America in 1654; but

when baptized or Chief who made a

ordained,

is

not known.

division about the laying on of hands.

and others withdrew, and formed a separate church, He died June 11, it continued only a short time. field.^ buried in his own Difficult w^ould and was 1722, it be, in the same amount of language, to find so much misconception and error as here. Never should Thomas Olney, to whom justice has not yet been done, have been
but

He

spoken of thus.

The

writer, doubtless, intended to be

correct ; but so little did he

know

of history, that he conto-

founded two individuals, probably father and son,

gether.

If he alludes to the son, then

it

was not

in his,

but in his father^s day that the division occurred.

years before
dates,

If he

alludes to the father, then he died, not in 1722, but forty

in 1682. This confusion of persons and would invalidate any testimony. But this is not all. Olney is placed as the successor of Brown, Wickenden, and Dexter. In the ministry, he preceded them all, and never was pastor of the church which they set up. The records say that he was the Chief who made the division, and that he, and others with him, withdrew and formed a separate church. It w^asWickenden and his associates that went off; and even Dr. Hague says, it was
^

^oger Willia^ns not fully a

they

^Baptist.

47

who formed
came
to

the separate church.^

The

records say
treas-

that he

Providence in 1654; he was town

It

urer of that place in 1639.

But I

forbear.

may be
who

said that the records speak

not of the father, but of the son.

idence that the Olney

Then where
;

is

the ev-

died in 1722, was pastor of

that he

Wickenden^s church

after Dexter's death

;

made

a division about laying on of hands

that he withdrew

and formed a separate church

writer that has recorded
it,

Is there a single ancient

it ?

or alluded to

And

if

the

son be alluded

to,

where, in giving an account of Baptist

is

ministers in Providence,
cient

the father alluded to

that an;

whose day a division did take place vvho saw, in 1662, his church receive such a wound,
in
?

man

and
that,

after sixty years' struggling for existence, it at last ex-

pired

Look,

also, at

Chad. Browne
it

he

is

made
!

pastor

of the church ten years before

will

began

to exist

But I

pursue this subject no further.

?

What is
by

the value of

records like these

and documents like them, that the Providence church carries

yet
it is

And

these records,

date back to 1639, claims to be the

first

in the State,

and

the oldest of the Baptists in America.^^

It is of these imperfect Church Eecords, compiled by John Standford one hundred and thirty-six years after the formation of the Eoger Williams Society, that Mr. " The author, Messrs. Knowles, Hague, Benedict says
:

and

all

historians since,

have been in'

debted to them for the few details which

''

"'
'

p. 4o/.

have been preserved of the doings of this

ancient community.''
further remarks
partly from
^^
:

And,

in a foot-note,

Mr. Benedict

My present historical details are taken

volume, and partly from Hague's

my

first

48

American

(Baptists.

Historical Discourse, delivered in 1839, at the expiration of

ms.^BapL, Ben.,

.^^^

^^

^^^^ churcli.

two hundred years from the foundBut the Church Rec-

ords are the only source of information

to us all/'

It
rians

is

here shown, by Mr. Benedict, that

the present
first

all

the histo-

who make

church of Providence
all their

the

Roger Williams church, depend alone upon the Church

informa-

Records, compiled by Mr. Stanford, for

tion concerning this church.

But Mr. Adlam has shown,

from the records themselves, that they are not to be relied on, because of the numerous contradictions of known historic facts. And as w^e have already shown, Mr. Benedict was unsettled and confused concerning Roger Williams and the Providence church. And that Mr. Benedict's mind was not clear concerning the history of Roger
Williams,
is

seen in the follovving

"

And what

but the

strength of prejudice could lead to such

^'^''

\aa'^^

'

untiring eiiorts as have been put forth for

ahnost two centuries past, to manufacture

capital against the denomination

from the obscure or

apochryphal history of this solitary

fusion

man ? "

Full enough has been produced to show that the con-

and obscurity in the mind of Benedict and others, was produced by the confused and obscure records of the old Providence church. But developments have been

made which

are

amply

sufficient

to settle those points

Mr. Benedict. It has already been seen, from Mr. Backus, that Roger Williams repudiated his baptism and church relationship in four months after the organization of his society. We will now proceed to show that his society also disbanded,
difficult to

which were so

(Roger Williams not fully a baptist.

or

49

came

to nothings in about four

months

after its

forma-

tion.

In regard to the Roger Williams Society, Cotton Mather, " One Roger Williams, a preacher, who arrived in New England about the year 1630, was first an assistant ^''- ^^%^'' ^J'^'' in the church of Salem, and afterward pastor. This man a difference happening between the Government and him caused a great deal of trouble and
a Puritan Pedobaptist, says
:

vexation.

At

length the magistrates passed the sentence

;

of banishment upon
a few of his
idence.

him upon which he removed, with and settled at a place called ProvThere they proceeded," says Mr. Mather, '' not

own

sect,

only unto the gathering of a thing like a church, but unto

the renouncing their infant baptism. After this," he says, " he turned Seeker and Familist, and the church came to

nothing."

Here we have the testimony of Cotton Mather,

Seeker, his society, or thing like a church,

as

quoted by Crosby, that when Roger Williams turned

came to nothBut we have before seen, from Mr. Backus, that ho turned Seeker and renounced his baptism and church organization in July, after he was baptized in March. Hence we conclude, that the Roger Williams church came to nothing in about four months after its organization. Again Mr. Adlam introduces another important witing.
:

ness, as follows

" There

is

one writer whose testimony

is

of the highest value on this subject. lude to

^

al^-^ * /^^ ok America, p. 35.

.

Thomas Lechford, who was in New England from 1637 till about August, 1641 and, among other places, he
;

"'

visited Provi-

dence, somewhere, I judge, about the close of 1640, or the

60

American

(Baptists,

beginning of 1641.
faithful account.

He

inquired, with great diligence,

and gave a Against the Baptists he had no special prejudices more than against the Congregationalists, for
intd the ecclesiastical affairs of the country,

he was an Episcopalian.
victions, I

But whatever were

his

own

con-

have gained, in

many

respects, a

more exact

view of

New

England, during these four years, from him

than from any other person.

dence, he says
:

When

speaking of Provi-

from the said

visited), lives

At Providence, which is twenty miles Island (Rhode Island, which he had also
^

Master Williams and his company, of

di-

most are Anabaptists. They hold there is no true, visible church in the ^ciy, nor in the world, nor any true ministry.^ Mark this account. It is from an eye-witness, about a year and a half after Williams revers opinions
;

nounced baptism, churches, ministry, and all.^^ With such an array of evidence, that Roger Williams,
with his church, within a few months after
its

formation,

renounced their baptism and church organization, and

even affirmed that there was no true church in the world,

how

passing strange that any one,

much

less a Baptist,

should have conceived the erroneous idea that Roger Williams was the founder of a Baptist church at
all.

And

as

no one pretends that Roger Williams ever belonged to a

Regular Baptist church, but only to his own

alous society, which
fore, it is
fell to

little

anom-

few months; thereevident that Roger Williams was never a member

pieces in a

of any true, legitimate Baptist church. After a thorough investigation of all the facts and records,

"Among

Mr. Adlam makes the following concluding remarks: the evils that have resulted from the wrong date

of the Providence church, has been the prominence given


'ho

Jsfewport

Church
It
is

the Oldest in A-merica.

51

to

Roger Williams.
it

that gretted, ^ o

ever entered into the

of any one to

make him,

...
in
fitful

greatly to be re-

mind

^-^ /^^ on"*" America, p. dD.

'
.

America,

the founder of our denomination.

"Well
self,
tist,

In no sense was he

so*

would

it

be for Baptists, and for Williams him-

could his short and

be obliterated from the

attempt to become a Bapminds of men. A man only

as the founder of the
!

four months a Baptist, and then renouncing his baptism

forever, to be lauded

and magnified

Baptist denomination in the

in civil
tist,

New World

As

a leader

and

religious liberty, I

do him homage; as a Bap-

I owe him nothing,"

Section

The newpoet, and not the peesent II. peovidence chuech, is the oldest baptist
chuech in ameeica.

after the dissolution of the Roger Williams which only existed a few months, Thomas Olney, one of the persons baptized by Williams, gathered a church at Providence. Some historians have made Olney the successor of Williams in the pastorship over the W^illiams church. He was the successor of Mr. Williams as pastor in Providence, not over the Williams church but over the one gathered some time after the Williams church came to nothing. So, Olney^s church was the second formed in Providence, over which he officiated as

Not long

Society,

pastor

till

his death, in 1682.

a division occurred in the Olney church

But about the year 1652, a number of

;

members broke

and formed a six-principle Baptist church. This new church was formed under the leadership of Elders Dexter, Wickenden, and Browne, who were
off

52

American
its

baptists.

Elders together in
in

formation, and succeed each other

the pastorship of this church.

That there were two

is

Baptist churches in Providence as early as 1652 or ^53,

an undisputed historic

fact.

Mr. Adlam introduces

:

the

testimony of Mr. Staples, as follows

First Bapt. Ch.in

" Staples, in his an:

There were two jg^^ ^^g^ churches in Providence as early as America, p. 7. 1652; one of the six-principle, and the other of the five-principle Baptists. This appears from a manuscript diary kept by John Comer, a Baptist preacher in Newport.^ ^^ Again, Mr. Adlam introduces Comer thus " Comer, in his manuscript, spells Wickenden's name, as it was probably pronounced, Wigginton ; and his exact words are Mr. William Vaughn, finding a number of Baptists in the town of Providence, lately First Bapt. Ch. m j loined together in special church coveo ^ America, p. 8. naut, in the faith and practice, and under the inspection of Mr. William Wigginton, being heretofore members of the church under Mr. Thomas Olney, of that town, he i. e., Mr. William Vaughn went thither in the month of October, 1652, and submitted thereto (to the imposition of hands), upon which he returned to Newport, accompanied with Mr. William Wigginton and Mr. Gregory Dexter, etc' '' Once more Mr. Callender says: "^ About the year 1653 or 1654, there was a division in the ap i.m us ]gj^p^jg|. church at Providence, about the ^ America, p. S, rite of laying on of hands, which some pleaded for as essentially necessary to church communion, and the others would leave indiiferent. Hereupon they walked in two churches: one under C. Browne, Wickenden, etc.; the other under Thomas Olney.' Page 114."
nals of Providence, says
-"^

''

'

j.

-^

'

The
From

First

Church in America.

53

the above documents, and others which might be

it is

shown that about the year 1652 Olney Providence church about the laying on of hands before communion, and that Wickenden, Dexter and Browne, were the leaders, who went off and formed the new church, which was
introduced,
clearly

or 1653, there

was a

division in the

the third church formed in Providence.

This w^as the

six-principle church, w^hich, as will be seen, has continued

to the present time,

and is known as the First Church in But Mr. Olney continued as pastor over the old interest, which was the second church in Providence. This is further shown, in the language of Mr. Backus, the historian, as quoted by Mr. Adlam, as folProvidence.
lows:
-J

"Thomas Olney,

senior, also died

this year, (1682). J

^

He

was next
office at

to
-r-

Mr.

^rs,

ajp

i.in

America^

p. 9.

Williams in the pastoral

dence,

Provi-

and continued

so to his death, over that part of

the church
tinction

who

are called five-principle Baptists, in dis-

from those who parted from their brethren about the year 1653, under the leading of Elder AYickenden, holding the laying on of hands upon every church member.^^

But which of
church,

these

two Providence churches

etc.

01first

ney's five-principle church, or the seceded six-principle

under

Wickenden,

is

the present

chureh in Providence?

We

answer, in the language of

/'

Mr. Adlam
existing

" Tw^o things show that the

the
^

is
,

seceding
^

church.

1st.

P
.

'^
-

]-

^mfnc,

p. 11.

Every writer, including the record, mentions Browne, Wickenden and Dexter, as former pastors of
that church.
2d.

The

present church, from 1652 until

1770, was

known only

as six-principle, while

Olney 's was

54
the five-principle

Aviterican (Baptists,
cliurcli.

From

this it follows, that the

existing church in Providence

was not founded

;

in 1639,

was not the first church in the State, for it came out from an older church it is not the oldest of the ]>aptists in America, for the Newport church was founded, unquestionably, eight years before and so far from Roger \Yilliams being its founder and first pastor, he was in England when it was founded ; and thirteen years before, he had ceased to be a Baptist. It also follows, that the time when Roger Williams was baptized, has nothing to do in determining the age of the present church.'^ Thus, it is shown that the present Providence church, which was organized in 1652, by Wickenden, Dexter, and Browne, has taken, instead of her own date, the date of the Roger Williams Society. But what became of the old Olney five-principle church. Mr. Adlam says: "A melancholy interest invests the last noFirstBapt.Ch.in , v r\ x t. ^ -_ tice we nave oi this ancient church, it -^
but 1652
;

it

'

continued

till

early in the last century,

when
it

it

became
its

extinct, leaving

no records, and but few

fullest information of

events in

history behind.
is

The

I have found,

in a note

page of his Discourse.

below:
^This
ago, when,

by Callender, on the 115th Speaking of this church, he adds

last continued till about twenty years becoming destitute of an elder, the members were united with other churches and further adds, At present there is some prospect of their re-establishment in church order.' This was written in 1738. The church had then been extinct about twenty years; that is, it lost
; ^

ils

visibility

about 1718.

Morgan Edwards
till

says, that
it

the church under Olney continued

continued,
after the division
in

1715: so that
for

1652,

more than

First

Church in America.

55

sixty years^ when, discouraged, tliey scattered, never to

be united again.

And

thus passed

away

the original
its

church, and the waves of time have almost obliterated

remembrance from the minds of men. Callender indeed thought, when he w^rote, that it might be re-established, and in this he would have rejoiced, as it would have afforded him a church that would hold communion with him and with the people under his care; but he was disappointed, and for more than one hundred and thirty
years the old church in Providence
that were.'^
is

among
it is

the things

From

the foregoing facts and dates,

first

fully settled

that the present Providence

church, Avhich was the

third organization in that place,

to the year sixteen

was not organized prior hundred and fifty-two. It can not, therefore, be the first church in America, from the fact that all historians agree that the Newport church was
organized as early as 1644.

And

granting this to be the

true date of the a mistake

it

Newport church which I will show to be makes the Newport church eight years older

than the present Providence church.

ascribe this priority to the

Our

earliest writers

Newport church. Mr. Adlam quotes John Comer as follows

first,

" Comer,
.

the

and, for the early history of our

/'^
'^^
'

denomination, the most reliable of writers,

'.

ascribes,

and repeatedly, this priority to the Newport church. He had formed the design, more than a hundred and twenty years ago, of writing the history of the American Baptists and in that work, which he only lived to commence but which emdistinctly
;

America,

^'J^

p. 19.

braces an account of this church

*

he

says in one place,

that

it

is

the

first

of the Baptist denomination.^

And,

56

American
it,

(Baptists.

Thus I have briefly given some account of the settlement and progress of the first Baptist church of Rhode Island, in New England, and ^' the first in America/ What right have v/e to invalidate the emphatic statement of John Comer, the first Baptist historian of America, upon the " confused ^^ evidence of Mr. Benedict, who confesses that he gets all his information from the Church Records, which have been shown to be incorrect? And more later developments have established the fact, that the Newport church is not only the first church in America, but that it was established in 1638, one year before This is clearly the Roger Williams church was formed. made out from a note in the Minutes of the Philadelphia
closing his history of
says,
'

Association, as follows:
port,

"When
^^3g
/

the

first

church in

New-

Rhode
.^

Island,

was one hundred years

j^^^^^

PlillBaptAsso.,
p. 455.

^^^
. .

^^

their Callender, '

.

and published a sermon on the occasion.^^ Yes in the year seventeen hundred and thirty-eight, the first church in Newport was one hundred years old. This gives us sixteen hundred and thirty-eight as the true date of the organization of the Newport church. This date is also confirmed by the inscription on the tombAs stone of Dr. John Clark, who organized this church. this inscription contains important facts and dates, which
minister, delivered
;

should be preserved, I give

it entire,

as follows

First

Church in America.
"to the memoey of

57

DOCTOR JOHN CLAEKE,

One
of the original purchasers and proprietors of
First Baptist
its first

this Island,

and one of the founders of the Church in Newport, pastor and munificent benefactor

^^''^f

-^i^^'
"'"'

^ '^^

was a native of Bedfordshire, England, and a practitioner of physic in London. He, with his associates, came to this Island from Mass., in March, 1638, O. S., and on the 24th of the same month obtained a deed thereof from
the Indians.

He

He

shortly after gathered

its

the Church aforesaid, and became

pastor.

In 1651, he, with Eoger Williams, was sent to England, by the people of Ehode Island Colony, to negotiate the business of the Colony with the
British ministry
in
:

obtaining the Charter of 1663 from Charles II

Mr. Clarke was instrumental which

:

secured to the people of the States free and

enjoyment of judgment and conscience in matters of religion. He remained in England to watch over the interest of the Colony until 1664, and then returned to Newport and resumed the pastoral care of his Church. Mr. Clarke and Mr. Williams, two fathers of the Colony, strenuously and fearlessly maintained that none but Jesus Christ had authority
full
.

over the

affairs

of conscience.

He

died

April 20, 1676, in the 66th year

of his age,

and

is

here interred."

There
npon

is

no higher

historic authority concerning the

life,

im-

portant dates and acts of a man's

his tomb.

than the epitaph

This inscription upon the tombstone of

Dr. John Clarke, must have been prepared under the direction of those Avho

were personally cognizant of the

facts

58

American
And
it is

(Baptists.

stated.

emphatically stated, and graven in the

to this

rock,

tliat

Dr, John Clarke came

Island in March,
the

1638,
said,

and that ^' he shortly after gathered and became its pastor J'
Island,
it

church afore-

As he
Rhode
teen

gathered the church shortly after he came to

like
this
lis

must have been gathered in the year sixhundred and thirty-eight one year before the "thing a church,^' formed by Roger AYilliams., was born. On " After all the investigations point Mr. Adlam says I have made, I have come to the conclu-

ap

I.

m Amer., p. 4o.
lowing:

g.^^ ^1^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ j^^^ ^

^1^^

JS'ewport ^
.

church
gether arbitrary.

is

1638, and that any other

is

alto-

My reasons

for these views are the fol-

We know that in the year 1638, a church was formed on the Island, and Dr. Clarke became its pastor and we have no information that that church ever became extinct. On the Island, there is no allusion to such an
event in any record ; nor does tradition ever speak of our

church but as the original church on the Island

churches came out from us

we from no other."
now
fully

other

We consider

it

a point

made

out, that the

is

Newport, and not the Providence church,

Baptist church in America.

the

oldest

Section

III.

No present baptist
shown
that

ister HAS baptism, W^ILLIAMS.

It can not be

church oh minby SUCCESSION, FROM ROGER

any present Baptist church or from Roger Williams. Our adversaries seem to think, that if they can prove that the Roger Williams Society was the first
minister has received baptism by succession

JNo Succession

from

Williams.

59

Baptist church established in America, they have established the position that all the Baptists of

America have

point to Roger Williams with an air of triumph, and say " Here your
:

descended from Roger Williams.

broken.^^

They

But if it could be shown, which is not the case, that the Roger Williams Society was the first Baptist church in America, this would have no more to do with the genealogy of Baptist churches in America than the discovery of America by Columbus has
chain of succession
is

to

do with the origin or genealogy of the citizens of this

country.

Suppose some political logician should draw the

conclusion, that because

Columbus was the

first

discoverer

of America, therefore
the descendants of

all

the inhabitants of America are

Columbus!

of such reasoning?

No man

of

What would be thought common sense would re-

ceive such teaching. But thousands who are influenced more by prejudice than reason or revelation, are ready to say with one voice, that " the Baptists of America sprang from Roger Williams, because he was the founder of the
first

Baptist church on this continent

Such persons exhibit the disposition of the animal

in

the manger, which could not eat hay himself and was de-

termined that the ox should not.

sion themselves except the

They have no succesRomish, and they are determBut we

are asked,

ined to cut off the Baptist succession.

"Does- not Mr. Benedict say, that the old Providsnce

church was the

prolific

mother of many
'^

But this was not ^^rq ^^' ^^ said concerning the Roger Williams church, which, as already shown, came to nothing in a few months after its formation; nor of the Olney church, which also, after a series of years, became extinct; but it
Baptist communities?*^

GO

American

(Baptists,

was

said concerning the church established about 1652,

under Dexter, Wickenden and Browne, neither of whom And Gregreceived their baptism from Roger Williams. ory Dexter was a Baptist preacher in London before he

came

to Providence, in

1644.

So that even the Provi-

dence church was organized by a minister whose succession extends to the English Baptists.

On

this point,

Mr. Graves says

"It can not be shown

that any Baptist church sprang from Wil-

the baptism of any Baptist minister came from Williams' hands. The oldest Baptist church in America is the one now existing, with her original articles of faith, in Newport, R. I. and she was planted by Dr. John Clarke, before AYilliams was baptized. He received his baptism in Elder StillwelPs church, in London, and that church received hers from the Dutch Baptists of Holland sending over a minister to be baptized by them. These Baptists descended from the Waldenses, whose historical line reaches far back, and connects with the Dpnatists, and theirs, to the apostolical
;

churches.

A
'1.

writer in the Christian Review condenses the facts

of history into the following eleven statements, which can

be confidently relied upon

Roger Williams was baptized by Ezekiel Holliman, March, 1639; and immediately after, he baptized Mr. Holliman and ten others. 2. These formed a church, or society, of which Roger Williams was the pastor. Four months after his baptism that is, in July [3.]
'
'

J\^o Siiccession

from

Williams.

61

following

Williams
it.

left

the churchy and never afterward

returned to

As

his doubts respecting

baptism and the

perpetuity of the church, which led to this step, must

have commenced soon after his baptism, it is not likely that he baptized any others. ^ 4. The church which Williams formed, came to nothing, or

was dissolved soon after he left it. was re-organized, or another was formed, a few days afterward, under Mr. Thomas Olney as its pastor, who was one of the eleven baptized by Roger Williams. Olney continued to be pastor of this church until his death, in 1682, somewhat over thirty years. '6. In 1653 or 1654, which w^as a few years after the formation of Olney's church, there was a division in that church on the question of laying on of hands in the reception of members; and a separate church w^as formed for the maintenance of this ceremony, under the pastorship of Chad. Browme, Wickenden, and Dexter. This church was perpetuated, having, in 1808, given up its original faith as to the ^laying on of hands,^ and is no^v the First Baptist Church in Providence. 7. The parent church, under Olney, gradually dwindled away, and became extinct about the year 1718, some seventy years from its origin. ' 8. No church was formed from Olney's, after the division already mentioned, and no ministers are known to have gone out from it. Olney's baptism, whether valid
^5. It
^

or invalid, w^as not propagated.

9. Nearly a century passed before the church formed from Olney 's began to colonize, in 1730.
'
^

10.

None

of

its

ministers, or
it,

the ministers of the

churches formed from

received their baptism from

62

American

(Baptists.

Williams, or from any one whose baptisms descended

from

his.

The Baptist churches of America, then, could not have descended from Eoger AVilliams, or from the temporary society which he formed. Their true descent is from the Baptist churches of Wales and Piedmont, extending back to the apostles' times.' ''
^11.

The
by the

items set forth in this quotation are fully sustained

facts of history.

It

is

both offensive and invidious,

better, to persist in the cir-

for those

who ought

to

know

culation of the false representation that

was the founder of the American

Baptists.
;

Roger Williams Those who

for, if

make

this

charge are wholly inexcusable

they are
butj if

ignorant of Baptist history, they should not affirm con-

cerning that about which they are not informed

they

know

the facts in the case, and

still

persist in the

charge, they are evidently dishonest

spect.

and unworthy of

re-

Who will undertake

who make such
is

to trace the succession of

any

living Baptist to Williams ?

If our enemies

they are

charges

will

for enemies

make no attempt

to sustain their allegations, let

that

compassion which

them be regarded with due from us toward the false

accusers of the servants of Jesus Christ.

Section

IV.

Baptist

ministers

WHO AIDED
CHURCHES.

IN PLANTING

from Europe THE EARLY AMERICAN

It has already been fully shown that the Baptists of America have not descended from Roger Williams. And it now becomes a matter of great interest to know where they came from.

Ministers

from Europe.

63

bers,

Baptists of America number over a million meirand Baptist cliurclies are numbered by thousands, whose ministers are proclaiming their heaven-born doc-

The

trine to the remotest corners of the world.

These churches must have been planted

of some person or persons.

by, the

agency

now

proceed to give a

list

of the names of some of

our brethren
in
;

who were

regularly baptized and ordained

Europe and who, having fled to the American wilds an asylum which was denied them, aided in the planting of the early Baptist churches from which, as flowing streams, the denomination has come down to us. At the head of this bright catalogue of names, I place the imfor

name of Dr. John Claeke, who received his baptism anf^ ordination in London, in a church whose
perishable
succession extends in a regular line back to the apostolic
age.

learning,

John Clarke was a man of uncommon eloquence and and possessed with a burning zeal for the cause of his Master, which caused him to preach the cross of
Christ in Massachusetts in spite of the laws to the con;

trary

and which,

after his imprisonment, caused

accept a challenge from the Governor

him (John Endicot),

to
to

debate with the learned dignitaries of the established

church, in defense of Baptist doctrine.
the challenge, these

But, after giving

renowned theologians backed out from the proposed controversy with this unconquercd
prisoner.
1.

John Clarke was

born in Bedfordshire, Eno^land.

Massachusetts; but

in 1609.

He

came

to this country, as a Baptist minister,

settled, at first, in

from London.
fled

He

from persecution, and arrived in Rhode Island in March, 1638 and in the same year established the first
;

64

American

(Baptists.

Baptist cliurcli on the coDtinent of America, in

j)ort,

New-

E.

I.

Tins

cliurcli is

standing yet, with

its

original constituits

tion, as a

monument

of the truth for which

founder

suffered.

John Clarke, by

his influence Avith the

king of

England (Charles II.), secured the charter granting civil and religious liberty to the colony of Rhode Island, which afterward was extended over the Avhole country. The Newport first church has, from time to time, sent out numerous branches to form other churches. This church, as already seen, was formed in 1638, one year prior to the informal baptism of Williams and yet, it would not be proper to call John Clarke the founder of the American Baptists. He was only one of many who aided in the or;

ganization of churches.

John Callender, the historian of Rhode Island, says of John Clarke: "He was a faithful and useful minister,. courteous in all the relations of life, and Cramp's Hist. c i x xi_ to his proiession and to the ^^ ornament x B f A"?, several offices which he sustained. His

i.

memory
ward

is

deserving of lasting honor, for his efforts tofirst

government in the world which gave to all equal civil and religious liberty. To no man He was one is Rhode Island more indebted than to him.
establishing the

of the original projectors of the settlement of the Island,

and one of its ablest legislators. No character in New England is of purer fame than John Clarke.'^ 2. Thomas Griffith, from South Wales, emigrated with the church of which he was pastor, in the year 1701. They settled, at first, near Pennepek, in Pennsylvania, where they remained two years, and finally settled at Welsh Tract, in Pennsylvania (now Delaware), in 1703.

Ministers fro^n Europe,

65

This church was organized in AValeS; in 1701, on sixteen

members.

They

sailed, in

church capacity, on board the

they kept

ship James and Mary.

Here we have a whole church,

;

with their pastor, emigrating to this country

up
at

their

regular

church meetings while crossing the

billows of the Atlantic Odean.

And

after its settlement

Welsh Tract, it isters, who aided

number of able minin planting our American churches. Among these may be mentioned the names of Elislia Thomas, Enoch Morgan, Jenkin Jones, Owen Thomas, Abel jNIorgan, and David Davis. The editor of the Minutes of the Philadelphia Association remarks *^ That this
sent forth quite a
:

church appears to be very singular in

first

its
^^ 1

and hath been the best supplied with ministers of any church besettlement,
.

^^

^^^"^
*

P-

1^'

longing to this association.'^

And this old Welsh Tract Church sent swarms from a parent hive, to form
new
churches.
,
1

off branches, as
Davis' Hist. Welsh ^ .^r

off thirty members, who and formed a church at Welsh Neck, on the Pedee Kiver, in South Carolina. Will our friends affirm that the Welsh Tract Church, with its numerous ministers and branches, originated with the Koger Williams affair?

church lettered
settled

A As ^

1 early as 1/37, this

i-o^7

J.1'

Bapt., p. 125.

This church, we learn, has taken sides with the AntiMission party, and has thereby impaired
3.
its

usefulness.

John Miles,

with several Baptists, came from

and organized which was also ^^'^^^' ^*^^- ^"^^^^^ called Sw^ansea, which is the oldest Bapj^J^kus p 93 tist church in the State. Elder Miles was one of those faithful ministers of Jesus Christ whc
Sw^insea, Wales, in 1663,
a church in Massachusetts,
'

66

American

baptists.

suffered persecution

under Charles

II.,

and

also in

Mas-

sachusetts.

State

So we find that the first church in the Bay was regularly organized by a Baptist preacher from
ordained as a Baptist minis-,

Europe.
4.

RoBEET NoRDiN was

London,
in 1714,

ter in

and immediately sailed for Virginia; and on his arrival he organized a

county, which was the

Ben. His. Bapt.,

"

'

CI H'^t

church at Burley, in the Isle of Wight first Baptist church

p. 229.

organized in the State of Virginia.

And
church

members emigrating from

this

spread the cause of truth in North Carolina, and in a

short time sixteen churches were organized.
find that the first church in Virginia

Thus we
or-

was regularly

ganized by a missionary

who

received his baptism and

ordination in England; and that from this church

many

of the early churches in North Carolina derived their

origin.

Will any one dare to affirm that the Virginia and

North Carolina Baptists sprang from the Roger Williams affair ?

Nothing except bitter prejudice or ignorance

It
is

could have originated the mistake that Williams w^as the

founder of the Baptists in America.

professed Christian

high time that

men had

confined themselves within

the bounds of truth.

5.

Morgan Edwards, who

DD 77-79

Davis^ His. Welsh

Bavt

was born in Wales, 1722, and educated in Bristol College, which is -o t-i --x- x-xx* i ^ Baptist institution, m England, com

menced preaching

in his sixteenth year.

And by

the urgent request of Dr. Gill and other

London

in the year 1761, and became the pastor of the church afThila-

ministers, he took passage

and arrived

in

America

delphia.

Mr. Edwards was a man of learning and en-

Ministers
ergy.

from Europe.
Among
his

He

wrote extensively.

productions

toward a History of This is said to be a the Baptists in Pennsylvania.'^ valuable collection. It may be found in the library at
his "Materials

may be mentioned

Newport.
6.

Samuel Jones,

of South Wales, with a

number
^'
p. 67.

of

other Baptists, emigrated to America in

and settled on the banks ^ / Bapt, of the Pennepek, in Pennsylvania, and went
the year 1686: '
^
. .

into church organization at that place.

7.

Abel Morgan,
,

of Wales,
. .

who was an
-1

influential

Baptist minister and pastor in his native

country

and arrived

-,

in

America, 1711,

-7-1

Davis' His. Yielsh

,,

^^

and took the care of the church in Philadelphia. He was a man of learning. He compiled a folio Concordance to the Welsh Bible, which was printed
in Philadelphia in 1730.

It

is

a popular error to suppose

that all the early Baptist ministers of this country were

uneducated men.
8.

William Davis came

to

Pennsylvania from Wales

as a Baptist minister.
9.

Hugh
.

Davis, with eight other members of SwanSouth Wales, received a

^^^'^^' ^^^^- ^^
^^^^^

sea church, of
letter
,

of dismission and emigrated to Penn.

eylvania in 1 i 10.
ister in

^r'-if\

TT He was

a Baptist

-r

mm

i?(7w/!.,p. 90; also,

p^^^^ Asso.,]).

li

Wales, and became the founder

pastor of the church at Great Valley, Chester

and

first

While one church emigrated in church capacity, in other cases members were lettered off in order to enter into church organization as soon as they should arrive in this country.
county, Pennsylvania.
10.

David Evans, from

Wales, came

to

America

as a

GS

American

(Baptists.

Baptist preacher,
Davis' His. Welsh ^^. -n Ba2-)t., p. 101.
.

^ye do not possess the

j.-i i?j.iii r ^^ n details 01 the labors oi all these

^11 God who

men

of

j^

planted the standard of truth

in

America.
11.

Nathaniel Jenkins.
'
,

This

eminent

Baptist

minister, of Wales, emigrated to

Bapt., p. 114.
,,
^

America

about 1701. at an early day, ^

'' ''

Pie became

pastor of the church at

Jersey. It

Cape May, "West

details of

would be

interesting to

have the

these pioneer Baptists.

12.

Griffith Jones, who

goed
church,
.

w^as the able pastor of

Hento
,

in
,

Wales, emigrated
-,

Davis' His. Welsh

p
pastor

^^^

America
of the

m
.

i74y, and became a

^^

member

Welsh Tract Church and associate with David Davis. It will be borne in mind that

the majority of these standard-bearers labored in the pas-

work on both sides of the Atlantic ocean. They were truly pilgrims and strangers on the earth. 13. Caleb Evans was born in South Wales, educated
toral

at Bristol College,
*

came

to

America

as a

Baptist minister, and settled at Charleston,

South Carolina, about 1778.

It has

already been noted that the early Baptists of South Carolina

directly

were of Welsh origin. Some of their ministers came from Wales, while others came from the Welsh

church in Rhode Island.

^

14.

John Burrows came from

^^^^^
.^^

the west of

England
removed

a?

a Baptist minister in 1711, and labored

n-a
p. 12.

BapLAsso.,

then Philadelphia, ^
'

to

Middletown, in 1713.

We are

not in the

possession of the details of this Baptist preacher,

more

than that he was an acceptable minister of Jesus.

Ministers
15.
settled

from Europe.

69

RiciiAED JoNES; a Baptist preacher from England, in Virginia in 1727, where he

labored thirty years in the ministry.

He

'

qa^

labored in the field previously occupied

by Robert Nordin, who preceded him as the pioneer BapThe succession of. the Virtist of the Old Dominion.
ginia Baptists
16.
is

back

to

England.
settled in

Casper Mintz came from England and

1727.
,1

Viririnia,

^ years

He

spent about thirty

XT He

m the
.

mmistry.

was the

.\

asso-

Ben. His. Bapt. '

^ ,^

ciate of

Richard Jones ; they both arrived

the co'

in

Virginia two years after the death of Robert Nordin.

17.

John Emblem, from England, became

Mr. Hull,
in Boston, in 1684.

pastor with

The

Baptists of Boston were sorely per-

t^^'^

47T

secuted and harrassed by the standing or-

der in the early part of their history.

18. Elisha Thomas came from Wales as an original member of the Welsh Tract Church. He reached this country in 1701. Though he was ordained in this country,

he was baptized in AVales.

He

received his ordina-

tion

from the old Welsh Tract Church.

19. Enoch Morgan also came as one of the original members of the Welsh Tract Church. He was also ordained in this country. Other names could be given of ministers whose succession was directly from Europe, but we close this list with one name more. 20. Gregory Dexter was a Baptist preacher in London, who came over to Providence, Rhode Island, in 1644. He was associated with Wickenden and Browne, as one of

the founders of the present Providence

first

church.

He

was the

first

who taught

the art of printing in

New Eng-

70^

American

(Baptists.

was a man of remarkable piety; and lived a devoted minister to the advanced age of ninety years. Thus we see, after all the smoke and noise raised about the Baptists of America descending from Eoger Williams,
land.

He

that it turns out that even the Providence first church has a regular succession, through her founders, back to

England.
It can not be i:troved that any Baptist now living in America, or elsewhere, has received baptism, by succession, from Roger Williams. Those few Baptists among us who have been received among Baptists on their " alien '^ im-

mersions, are

nearer to the Roger

Williams succession

than any others.

Here are the names of a score of the many Baptist who received their baptism regularly in Europe, and emigrated to this country in early times they aided in bearing the Baptist standard, and planting Baptist
ministers
;

churches throughout the colonies of America. These selfsacrificing Baptist ministers toiled amidst dangers, persecutions, stripes,
lives,

and imprisonments,

to the

end of their
all,

in

extending Baptist principles, and organizing

But, after
shall

Baptist churches on this continent.

the whole honor of these mighty labors be ascribed to one

who

only partially embraced Baptist principles for four months, was never regularly baptized, never belonged to
a true Baptist church,
try,

and repudiated

all

was never ordained to the minisbaptism and church organization

life

during the

remainder of a

of forty-three

years?

True, Williams was a firm advocate of religious liberty

but this was nothing

new

to Baptists, for they

had con-

this, as a fundamental principle, through the dark ages of Poj^ish tyranny from the apostolic times.

tended for

Ministers

from Europe.

71

The

peculiar circumstances which surrounded

liams,

have inscribed his name high on the

rolls of

Roger Wilfame

as a great benefactor of the

fore the
1

human

race.

But, long beforth

time of Williams, multiplied thousands of un-

inching Baptists patiently suffered, and poured

their blood in

maintenance of the same boon of heaven

that the illustrious

religious liberty.

And why
wandered

is it

names of these mighty

hosts of Baptist martyrs

who

perished in filthy dungeons,

in lonely exile amidst

mountain snows and des-

erts wild, or

ing flames which consumed their bodies, are

in the

embraced the martyr's stake amidst the curlleft to moulder

Avhile the

dark tomb of forgetfulness,

colony,
is

name

of Y/il-

iiams, one of the founders, not of the Baptists, but of

Rhode Island

exalted to the highest pinnacle of

denominational fame
Is

Why,

I ask,

is

his

name held up
America?

as the founder of the Ba})tist denomination in

it

because he embraced the Baptist doctrine of ''soul

''

liberty f

So did George Washington, with many of our

sires,

revolutionary

who were

not Baptists.

And

as well

be claimed that Washington w^as the founder of the Baptist denomination in America Especially, if he had received baptism from Gen. Green, Gates, or some
it
!

might

one else having no connection with the Baptists, then this

JN^ould

have constituted him the father and founder of the

Baptist denomination in America

The illustrious Patrick Henry was the friend and defender of persecuted Baptists of Virginia ; and he, as fully
as

Roger Williams, embraced the doctrine of "soul

lib-

erty*';

why

not constitute

him the founder of

the Baptist

denomination in Virginia?

No

there

is

a purpose to serve in thus exalting Roger

i'l

America::
It
is

^Baptists.

Williams.

to

make

the impression on the minds of

the multitude that Williams was the founder of the

tist

Bap-

denomination in this country, and thereby bring the

Baptists on a par with the denominations, or societies, which have an admitted human origin and founder. We have grouped together the names of twenty Baptist nunisters, who crossed the Atlantic ocean and planted the standard of the Cross in the American deserts, so that
the wilderness has been made to blossom They organized Baptist churches in Rhode
sachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaw^are,

as the

rose.

Island,

Mas-

Maryland, Virginia,

and the Carolinas; and from

these, like flowing streams,

I most obscure of these early ministers named has as good claim to be canonized as the founder of the Baptists in America, as Roger Wil-

the denomination has spread over the mighty West.

am

thoroughly

satisfied that the

liams.

Our

connection with the European churches

is

so

strongly developed that, besides the multitude of ministers

who

emigrated, vast numbers of private

off,

lettered

and emigrated

to this country,

members were and formed

an important element in the organization of our early

churches.
the

And, as we have already seen, one church, now Welsh Tract, emigrated from Yv^ales to this country in
This church
is
^^

her organized capacity.

the State of Delaware.
that sent out

now

located in

She became the

prolific mother,^'

many

ministers and colonies to form churches.

The Welsh-Neck church, in South Carolina, was formed of members of this old mother church. Benedict himself,
so far

from teaching that Roger Williams was the founder of the Baptist denomination in America, upon the question of our origin, says
^^
:

The Welsh

Baptists began to

emigrate to this country in very early times, and by them

Ministers frojn Europe.

some of our
oldest

73

and well organized churclies were and stabil^ their operations; and the numity.marked ber of Baptist communities which have branched out from these V/elsh foundations the number of ministers and members who have sprung from CambroBritish ancestors, and the sound, salutary, and efficient principles which by them have been diffused among the Baptist population in this country, \s beyond the conception of most of our people. We shall see, when w^e come to the history of the American Baptists, that settlements were formed in very early times by this people, which became the center of Baptist operations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina.'^ We have now seen from all the light on this subject, that the Baptist Church succession is not interrupted or broken off by the Roger Williams affair; but that the Baptist churches of America have descended regularly from the Welsh and English Baptists, whose history, as we shall see, extends through the German Baptists and Waldenses to the apostolic times. Instead of Roger Williams having anything to do with
planted; order,
intelligence,
"

''

the origin of the Baptists of this country,

it

turns out that

he never became a Baptist,

Baptist in the world
is

onl}^ in

part; and that no

by succession from him.

the Baptists of

known The

to

have received baptism

their origin

foregoing facts show that

Rhode Island had

from the
that

English and Welsh Baptists, through the ministry of John

Clarke,

Thomas Griffith, Gregory Dexter, and others

had

the early Baptists of Massachusetts

their origin, also.

74

American

^Baptists.

from the Welsh and English Baptists, through the ministry of John Miles, John Emblem, and others; that
the Pennsylvania Baptists had their origin from AVales

and England, through the ministry of Morgan Edwards, Samuel Jones, Abel Morgan, Hugh Davis, and others; that the Virginia Baptists had their origin mainly from the English Baptists, through the ministry of Robert Xordin, Kichard Jones, Casper Mintz, and others and that the North and South Carolina Baptists had their origin from the English and Welsh Baptists, through the ministry of Caleb Evans, from Wales, and missionaries from the Philadelphia Association, with emigrants from the
;

Virginia Baptists.

From

these early centers of Baptist

operations in the Atlantic States, the tide of Baptist emi-

gration has flowed westward,

hiinistry
is

till

the voice of the Baptist

heard among the savages of the jar West, and

even on the shores of the Pacific ocean.

Kentucky, do we find the descendants of Of these pioneers, might be mentioned the names of the Craigs, the Wallers, and others, who had the honor to preach Jesus Christ through the
Especially, in

the Virginia Baptists.

iron bars of their prisons in Virginia.

No

Baptist need

be ashamed of his denominational ancestors who, in the

infancy of the American colonies, came from England

and Wales, and some from other countries, and planted the tree of civil and religious liberty in the New World, where they finally succeeded in enstamping these cherished principles on the American Government, and have thereby been the means of giving religious liberty to a continent. It Avill be well for Baptists to be ever mindful of the cost at which soul-liberty has been purchased

American
to this

(Baptists.

country

and while

this

boon of heaven remains

ours,

we shoukl improve

the goklen opportunity of fixing

the

kind.

same principles in the hearts of the masses of manAYe should work while it is called to-day.

70

English

(Baptists.

CHAPTEH
1.

IV.

ENGLISH BAPTISTS.
The English Baptists did not oeiginate with John
Smith.
2.

The English Baptists ake descended feom the Ger^ian

Baptists.

Section I. The English baptists did not originate WITH JOHN SMITH.

At

the outset

we found

the Baptists of America dis-

tinguished from all other denominations by certain lead-

ing peculiarities^ numbering between one and two millions

of members

Maine
ocean
;

to

and pushing the victories of the Cross from Western Texas from the Atlantic to the Pacific from the Eastern States to the far AYestern States
; ;

and Territories of the Pacific slope. They are the most intensely aggressive and powerful denomination on the continent. We found them untrammeled by fines, and unfettered by imprisonments, with no ecclesiastical task-masters over them to apply the cruel scourge, or to consume them to ashes for their supposed
heresies.

Notwithstanding, the Baptist doctrine of soul-liberty

has so completely permeated every department of society

(whether
to

civil or religious), that Baptists are

now allowed
;

worship

God under
Baptist,

their

own

vine and fig-tree, and

yet,

none dares, legally, to molest or make them afraid

the very

name

is

odious to a large

number of re-

English
ligionists,

(Baptists not

from John

Sn^ith.

77

to feel fully authorized to pour out wrath upon Baptists, in denunciations, misrepresenting their doctrine, and perverting their history.

who seem

their vials of

And
vior
:

in the Baptists

is

verified the prediction of our Sa-

"

Ye

shall be hated of all nations for

my

name's

sake/'

In following up the Baptist succession, it has been fully shown that their historic chain has neither been disturbed by the secession of the ^^ Hard-Shell " Baptists, nor the apostacy of the Campbellites and it has been abundantly shown that the Roger Williams affair has not even produced a ripple upon the flowing stream of Baptist suc;

cession.

Bapcomposed of numerous cords in the persons of Baptist ministers, members, and even churches, which emigrated to this country. How grand and poetic the occurrence of a Baptist church leaving their native homes in Wales, with all the endearing ties of kindred and friends, to undertake the dangerous experiment of a voyage across the Atlantic ocean to
Atlantic Cable of succession connecting the
is

The

tists

of Europe" and America,

the then wilderness of America, to plant the standard of a pure Christianity

among

the savages of the

New World.
who
But^
to

Poets and statesmen have united to swell the sounding

praises of the

May Flower

and

its

cargo of Pilgrims,

only fled from persecution to become themselves the bitter

persecutors of the hated Baptists and Quakers-

what bard,

historian, or

statesman,

is

kind enough

and record the incidents of the voyage of that favored vessel, which conveyed the Welsh Tract church from the shores of Europe across
give the name,
the course,
the briny deep, to find a

mark

home

in the deep, tangled forests

78

English ^aptisti
reli-

of America, where tliey might unfurl the banner of

blot of persecution?

gious liberty, which should never be stained by the foul

Or,

who can

furnish the history of

John Clarke from London Must it be left to ocean winds to the American shores? and waves to sing the praises of these pioneers of the BapPerchance these favored tist denomination in America? vessels were guarded in their perilous voyages by angelic legions, who have treasured up in the archives of heaven the details of the adventures and sufferings of the members of the ^^ sect ^^ which is every-where spoken against. AVe find the name of the vessel in which the Welsh Tract church sailed, preserved by Davis in his History of the Welsh Baptists. Mr. Davis says: "In the year 1701, he (Thomas Griffiths) and fifteen of the memavis IS. esi -^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ church went to America in the JJapt., p. /2. same vessel. They formed themselves into a church at Milford, in the county of Pembroke, South Wales, and Thomas Griffiths became their pastor in the month of June, 1701. They embarked on board the ship James and 3fary, and on the 8th day of Septemihat ship which bore the heroic

ber following, they landed at Philadelphia.

there treated

The brethren

and advised them to settle about Penejoeck. Thither they went, and there continued about a year and half. During that time twenty-one percourteously,

them

sons joined them, but finding

there, they

it

inconvenient to abide

purchased land in the county of Newcastle, and

gave

it

the

ing-house, and
their pastor

name of Welsh Tract, where they built a loeetThomas Griffiths labored among th^sm as
till

he died, on the 25th of July, 1725, aged

eighty years.^'

How deeply interesting must have been the

this Baptist

church meetings of

church when they galliered

English baptists not from John Smith.

for the

70

worship of God, from time to time, as they sailed on

bosom of the mighty deep, and rode the boisterous waves of the stormy ocean. And when first they met in church meetings in the wilds of Pennepeck and Welsh Tract, surrounded by savage beasts and still more savage Indians, how solemn must have been their devotions. In ascending the
the

stream of Baptist succession, we have passed from the scenes

fines, imprisonments, and stripes, in Virginia and Massachusetts, up to the planting the first American churches and from thence across the broad Atlantic back to the mountain fastnesses of Wales, and the Baptist churches of England. But where did the English BapWe are told by some, who profess to be tists originate?

of persecution,

our friends, that the English -Baptists originated with one

John Smith, who baptized himself and others; and thus

originated the Baptists of England.

And
is

here, they tell

us that the Baptist chain of succession

broken.

Mr. Thomas Wall shows

the following statement:

his aversion of Baptists

by

"One John
others,
,
^

Smith, being more

desperately wicked than others, baptized

himself,
1
.

from

this

and then he baptized ^^

and
.

os
'

is.

ng.
9o.

man

Bapt, vol.

I, p.

the English Anabaptists

have successively received their new administration of baptism on men and women only.^^

England originated, as Smith the Sebaptist? Instead of this, it will be seen that John Smith was never an English Baptist in his life. As to the dispute, whether John Smith baptized himself or not, this has no bearing on the
Is
it

a fact, that the Baptists of

charged, from John

question of the rise of the English Baptists.

Baptists have been fearfully misrepresented
saries,

The English

by their adver-

who have

delight-ed,

it

appears, to dip their i>ens

80

English

(Baptists.

in the "juice of gall"

when writing concerning

the hated

Anabaptists.

Crosby, the historian, remarks on this point

Crosby's His. Eng.

jjj p 43

'

"Notwithstanding so much which has and much more which might have been said, in favor of the English
\^qq^^ g^id^

BaptistSj yet there

is

hardly any party or

as they.

denomination of Christians that have been so basely misrepresented,

and unkindly treated in the world,

Whenever
it.

there has been any persecution, they, if any in

those countries, have been sure to feel the hottest part of

The books

written against
filled

them are not only very nu-

merous, but commonly

stories, to

with foolish and scandalous

render them odious; and the histories of this

people, that are yet extant, are, for the most part, such as

have been published by their greatest adversaries." And from all the developments in the case, the se-baptism of

John Smith

is

one of those

silly stories circulated

by the

enemies of Baptists. Mr. Ivimey says, on this question " There is no doubt but this silly charge
Ivimey
*'

His. Eng.
*

^^^g fabricated

by

his enemies

and

it is

j^^-

an astonishing instance of credulity, that writers of eminent talents have contribIt

is

uted to perpetuate the slander."

settled that

now

pretty well

John Smith received

his baptism like

Roger

Williams; viz: he and one of his companions are supposed to have baptized each other, and then the rest of the

With us it is of little consequence whether Smith was baptized by himself or one of his unbaptized company; for in neither case could his baptism be valid. I have gathered the following facts in regard to First. John Smith was a John Smith and his company minister of the -established Church of England. Second.
company.
:

English
About
iles
tlie

(Baptists not

from John Smith.

81

year 1606, Mr. Smith led a company of ex-

Sejoaratists or

Brownists
Third.

from
He

England

to

Am-

sterdam, in Holland.

here united with the

English church of Brownists, under the pastorship of Mr. difficulty occurred in Mr. AinsAinsworth. Fourth.

worth^s church, on account of John Smithes opposition to

which resulted in the exclusion of Smith and his party from said church. Fifth. John Smith and his party proceeded to administer baptism, and to the formation of a church. There is no evidence that Smith baptized himself, but it is probable that one of his- company baptized him. Sixth. John Smith and a part of
infant baptism,
his

ceedings,

company soon became dissatisfied with their rash proupon w^hich a difficulty arose between them and

the majority of the church, on account of which Smith

and his party were excluded. Thus, it appears that John Smith was excluded from this " Baptist church ^' of which he was the founder. Of this, Mr. Evans, the historian,
says
c
''
:

It

is

admitted, on

all

hands, that,
1

xi xi 1irom some cause or other, the church over ^ 7 ^ Baj)t.,voL I,

7

Evans^ Early Enq. oao 20s.

-p,

which Smith and Helwys presided was

divided, but the cause of division
is

not so manifest.

Smith, with some twenty-four persons, was excluded from

the church, and these sought

communion with one of the

Mennonite churches in the city.^^ Seventh. Mr. Smith repudiated his own baptism and church organization as invalid, and, with his party, sought admission into one of the Mennonite churches at Amsterdam, and was received after making the following confes" The names of the English who ^ sion Evans Larhj Ln. confess this their error, and repent of it, Bapt, vol. I, p. viz that they undertook to baptize them- 209 also, p. 244.
]
,

82

English

(Baptists.

selves, contrary to the order

appointed by Christ, and

who

now desire, on

this account, to be

brought baciv to the true

be suffered.
our wish, should be

Church of Christ

as quickly as

may

We

unanimously desire that

NAMES OF MEN.

this,

signified to the church.

NAMES OF ATOMEN.

Hugh Bromhead,
Jarvase Neville, JoHx Smyth, Thomas Caxadyne, Edward Hankin, Johx Hardy, Thomas Pygott,
Francis Pygott,

Ann Bromhead,
Jane South worth,

Mary Smyth,
Joan Halton,
Alis Arnfield,
Isabel Thomson,

Margaret Stanley,

Mary Grindall,
Mother Pygott,
Alis Pygott,

Robert Stanley,

Alexander Fleming, Alexander Hodgkins, John Grindall,

Solomon Thompson, Samuel Halton,

Margaret Pygott,
Betteris Dickinson,

Mary

Dickinson,

Ellyn Paynter,
Alis Parsons,

Thomas Dolphin.

Joane Briggs, Jane Argan."

The above
page
2-44 of

confession

may

also

be found in Latin, on
I.

Evans' Early Eng. Bap. His., Vol.

out
'^
.

Eighth.

After Mr. Smith and his party were "cast

from
error

his

own
.<

church, and confessed

Evans' Early Enq t I I "^m

.n

*^^^^^*

setting

up

^ xi ^ lor themselves,
re-

on their humble petition, they were

ceived into a Mennonite church, whose

"mode

of bap-

tism was by sprinkling or affusion."

Ninth.

Not long

after this, 1610,

John Smith died

in

Holland.

He

never returned to England.

He

never

English

(Baptists not

from Jolin Smith.

cliurcli; neither
all.

83

belonged to any English Baptist

Tenth.

did he

ever belong to a legitimate Baptist church at

Mr. Hehvys, the early companion of Smith, returned to England with a few of the remnant of Mr. Smith's company, in 1611 or 1612. This was the second diyision in the John Smith church, which had excluded
its

founder.
Eleventh.

in

The remnant of the John Smith church left Amsterdam, united wdth the Mehnonite church in 1615, and thus became extinct. Twelfth. After the return of Helwys to London, he
formed a church, w^hich is claimed as the first General Baptist church in England. ^'''^'fi'-^Jl^Mis labors, noweyer, were not attended with yery great success. And admitting it to be true that this Helwys church was the first church in England called General Baptists, this does not proye that the General Baptists of

England originated with

this church.

His-

tory deyelops the fact that eyen the General Baptists of

England did

not, as a class, receiye their succession

and

baptism either from John Smith or Mr. Helwys.

How

strange that the mania of prejudice should haye

ever conceiyed the idea of constituting John Smith the

founder of the English Baptists

truth.

man desired to know and practice the In his flight from Babylon, he left the Episcopalians and joined the Brownists, who excluded him for opposing their traditions. He then proceeded to administer baptism and organize his society, which some historians call a Baptist church, from which he was also soon
This unfortunate
excluded.

And

he, with his party, denied his baptism

and church organization, professed repentance, sought ad-

84

English
and was received

(Baptists.

mission,

into a

Mennonite church, which,

all.

according to Mr. Evans, was not a Baptist church at

And
I

yet our adversaries will point to

John Smith
affair,

as the

founder of the Ei^glish Baptists

now

close this section

on the Smith

with the

testimony of Mr. Crosby, the historian, as follows: "If

he (John Smith) were guilty of what they

I

i^.

iig.

(.]-^^pg

BapL,

vol. I, p. 99.

j^^j^-^

with, ^tis no blemish on the '

English Baptists;

who

neither approved

of any such method, nor did they receive their baptism

from him.^^

Here

is

the testimony of the English Baptist historian,

who

affirms that the English Baptists did not receive their

'

baptism from Smith.

as well qualified to tell their

The English Baptists are certainly own origin as any others.

Section

II.

The

English baptists aee descended

baptists.

from the geeman

We now

come

to the direct question

" Where

did the

English Baptists originate?'^

Historians admit that per-

sons holding Baptist views, have existed in various parts

of England and Wales from very early times. This may be seen from the proclamations and edicts of kings against the hated "Anabaptists.'^ The same is shown by Davis, in his History of the Welsh Baptists; and by Crosby,

Orchard, and Evans, in their histories of English Baptists. It is an egregious mistake to suppose that the English
Baptists had their rise since the Reformation of the six-

teenth century.
persecutions
as

But, owing to the fierce and continued waged against them, they were accustomed,

much

as. possible, to conceal

themselves from public

English
view.

(Baptists

from Germany.

85

They

frequently met in private houses, or barns,

and even

in the thick forest in the

dead of night,

for the

worship of

God

but whenever they Avere detected by the

vigilance of Papal spies, they were seized

and delivered

over to the vengeance of the secular arm.

fact that all their

And from
little

the

books and records were diligently sought

and burned by
their enemies.

their enemies,

we have but

material
edicts of

for history, except the prejudiced statements

and
to

We

are,

however, able to furnish

many

instances of the emigration of

in these early times.

German Baptists
of the early

Many

England Baptists of Eng-

land were called Lollards.

Mr. Crosby, the

historian, says

" In the tmie of

King
Eng.
II,

Edward
01
p

the Second, about the year 1315,

Walter Lollard, a
great
into
,

German preacher, a man TTr 7 renown among xi the Watdenses,

7

^'^osby's His.

Baptists,
,^|.

vol.

^^

came
trines

England

he spread their doc-

very

much

in these parts, so that afterward they

went by the name of LollardsJ' That these Lollards were Baptists, who had their descent through the German Baptists, from Orchard's Eng. the ancient Waldenses, is shown by Mr.
''

Bavt., p. 118.
^

Orchard.

"

The

Lollards'

Tower,'' in

which these witnesses for Christ suffered, still stands in. London, as a monument of Papal cruelty toward these
ancient English Baptists.

Of

the Baptists of England,

" Bishop jBitrne^ says:

At

this time

(Anno 1549)

there

were many Anabaptists in several parts of England. Thev were 2:enerally Germans, whom ^1 the revolutions there had
1 '

^111
In
this

'^j ^' \^o' P^^^-' P- ^^

'

forced to change their seats.' "

we have

the testi-

mony

of Burnet, that the early English Baptists, called

SQ

English

(Baptists.

Anabaptists, were from Germany, and were numerous,

long before the John Smith

affair, in

Holland.
a

In tho

year 1538, King Henry YIII.,

the
sion
OS

issued

proclamation

against the Anabaptists (Baptists) and others; and in

same year. Archbishop Cranmer received a commis"to inquire after Anabaptists, to proceed against them, to restore the penitent, to burn vo y, their books, and to deliver the obstinate
.

to the secular

arm/^

And

of this time,

" Mr. Fuller

1
.

match being Lord CromwelFs contrivosy, vo r^jice, between King Henry and the Lady Anne of Cleve, Dutchmen flocked faster than formerly into England, and soon after began to
tells us,
^

that in this year, a

made by

the

broach their strange opinions, being branded with the

general

name

of Anabaptists.

These Anabaptists,' he

adds, ^for the main, are but DonatistSj

this year their
cles.

new

dipt;

and

name

first
^

appears in our English Chroni-

I read,' says he,

that four Anabaptists, three

men

and one woman, all Dutch, bare faggots at PauVs cross and three days after, a man and a woman of their sect,
were burnt in Smithfield.'
This
the
is
''

the testimony of

Thomas

Fuller, a historian of

Church of England, that Dutch Baptists (Anabaptists) flocked into England in the year 1538, in the reign of Henry YIIL, long before the time of John Smith. But we have still more direct testimony concerning the succession of the more modern English Baptists, from whom the Baptists of America descended. In the year 1633 a large number of Pedobaptists, belonging to the Independents, became convinced of the correctness of BapThey were puzzled at first as to the best tist principles.

English

(Baptists

from Germany.

87

method of obtaining valid baptism.

there receive baptism from a church

They appointed one

which was known
to

of their number, Richard Blunt, to visit Holland and be in the regular succession from the ancient A7aldenses.

Mr. Crosby introduces the testimony of William Kiffin as " This agrees with an account given of the matter in an ancient manuscript, said to be who lived f';^%;^-^- ^> PPwritten by Mr, William Kiffin, -^ 101-102; see also, in those times, and was a leader among Tvimey vol. I p.
follows
:
-'
-^

those of that persuasion.

143; NeaVs His.

This

relates,

that
.

several
X
xi

sober and

^^''-j

^^^-^

^^y P^^^^
'

pious persons

11 belonging

to the congrega-

361
^

'
;

Orchard,

tions of the dissenters about

London, were convinced that believers were the only proper subjects of baptism, and that it ought to be administered by immersion or dipjmig the whole body into the water, in resemblance of a burial ixnd 7^esurrection, accordmg to Colos. ii: That they often met together to 12, and Rom. vi: 4. pray and confer about this matter, and consult what methods they should take to enjoy this ordinance in its
:

That they could not be satisfied about primitive purity any administrator in England to begin this practice; because, though some in this nation rejected the baptism of infants, yet they had not, as they knew of, revived the ancient custom of immersion. But, hearing that some in
the NetJierlands practiced
it,

they agreed to send over one

Mr. Richard Blunt, who understood the Dutch laiiOTaw: That he went accordingly, carrying letters of recommendation with him, and was kindly received both by the church there, and Mr. John Batte, their teacher That upon his return he baptized Mr. Samuel Blacldock, a minister, and these two baptized the rest of their com:

88

English

(Baptists.

pany, whose names are in the manuscript to the number

of fifty-three.

their baj)Usm

So that those who followed this scheme did not receive from the aforesaid Mr. Smithy or his congreit

gation at Amsterdam.,

being an ancient congregation of

foreign Baptists in the low countries to

whom

they

sent.^'

Here we have the undisputed

Baptists of

historic fact, that the

London were

so careful to obtain valid bap-

tism that they delegated Richard Blunt, formerly a Pedobaptist minister, to visit a regular Baptist church, at

Amsterdam,

in Holland,

which belonged
after the

to the old

Wal-

densean succession.

And

baptism of Richard

Blunt by John Batte, by the authority of said church, he returned to London and baptized Samuel Blacklock, and they baptized the rest of the company, to the number

members and thus was formed a Baptist church, which was afterward recognized as a Particular
of fifty-three
;

Baptist church.

And

from

this

influential

church has

flown

the stream of succession

down

to the present time.

We

have now seen that the English Baptists, instead

Baptists,

of originating with John Smith, have descended from the

who descended from the In following up the succession of Baptists, we have found them in England, suffering almost incredible hardships and persecutions under the bloody reigns of James and his father, Charles 11. In these fearDutch and German
ancient Waldenses.
ful times
it

was no light matter

to

become a Baptist.

It

involved the renunciation of the grandeur and honors ol

the world, and to become the objects of Papal and Pro-

They were the faithful martyrs who were hunted down by the blood-hounds, in human form, of the established Church, as though they had been wild
testant cruelties.

English
beasts.

(Baptists

from Germany.
many

89

And

about this time

of them, fleeing from

And, also, -we have seen that, in the time of Henry VIII., and in more remote periods, the Dutch Baptists bore witness for Christ in
persecution, emigrated to America.
]^]n

gland at the

sacrifice of their lives.

And

it

has been

shown that companies of Dutch Baptists flocked into England, from time to time, and propagated their principles long before the London Dissenters embraced Baptist principles, and sent Richard Blunt to the continent But it is not our purpose to attempt to receive baptism. to follow up all the chains of succession which connect the English Baptists with the old Waldensean Bai3tists of Germany. At the present, J am only tracing the most direct line which connects the English with the German
Baptists.

And

for the present

we

take our leave of the English

Isles, cross

Baptists ;

and from the British

the North Sea

to the Netherlands.

And

here

we

find the Baptists, with

the same heaven-born principles, amidst the frowning

monarchies and despotisms of continental Europe, bearing

the

same unflinching testimony

for religious liberty

which

they have borne in England and America.

the

It will be re-

membered that in the term German BaptistSj we include Dutch Baptists also. As already intimated, many of the German Baptists had, from time to time, emigrated to
England; but they were so sorely persecuted that they were sometimes driven to other countries, or compelled For to secrete themselves from the view of the public. long years, it was the policy of the English Baptists to
avoid, as

much

as possible, the notice of the authoritips

of government;

and

in order to

this,

they studiously
all

avoided any communications with the Pedobaptists of

90

English baptists.
because the Protestants were almost as bitter in

classes

their persecutions against the English Baptists as

were the

Catholics.
tists

Taking of England at

this

view of the condition of the Bapit

this time^

is

no wonder that these

Pedobaptists were not well posted in the affairs of the Baptists

is

of England.

Their want of knowledge on this point,

no evidence that there were no true Baptists in England Though some of the English Baptist histoat this time.
rians were of opinion that the sending to the continent to

get valid baptism was unnecessary, yet

to

it

was

their duty

do

this, if

they

knew

of no Scriptural administrator

nearer.

No
^^

one can plead the authority of the Scriptures

baptisms.
It
is

for " alien

certainly

much

safer to

be
in

guided by the example of Jesus Christ and the apostles,

tJiis

as all other matters of religious duty.

(Bat'tist

Succession.

91

CHAPTER
GERMAN
1.

V.

BAPTISTS.
Mun--

The Geeman Baptists did kot Grigiitate with the

STER ElOT.

2.

The Germain Baptists Descexded from the Ancient Waldenses.

Section

I.

The

German baptists did not originRIOT.

ate WITH THE MUNSTER

It appears that in every age,

from the time of Christ,

the Baptist denomination has been

to bear the sins of the world.
to earth, has

made

the scape-goat

Almost every crime knoAvn

been laid to their charge.

They

are consid-

ered the enemies of governments, ringleaders of sedition

and revolution, and obstinate and incurable

pestilences,

heretics.

It

has been supposed that earthquakes, wars, famines, and

have been sent upon the human family on

account of the crimes of the Baptists.

gravely stated, by a certain class of
^^

And

it

is

now

charitable ^^ writers,

who have not the power, as did their fathers, to imprison and burn Baptists, that the Baptist denomination originated with the Munster riot in Germany, about the year 1525.

And

this class of

men

are generally very clamorous about

Baptist " Close Communion.'^

inate with the

But did the Baptists

orig-

madmen

of Munster?

Upon an

investiga-

tion of the history of the jNIunster affair, the following facts

are developed:
1.

The Munster

rebellion did not arise

from any reHg-

92

German

(Baptists.

ious, or

denominational, opinions whatever, but in order

governments of Germany. Of the miserable condition of this wretched " The condipeople, Mr. Rojbinson, the historian, says tion of the peasants in Germany, in the year twenty-four [1524], was deplorable, if there be anything to deplore m a deprivation ol most ^ ^^^ of the rights and liberties of rational creato resist the oppressions of the despotic
:

tures.

The

feudal system, that execration in the eyes of

every being that merits the

lished in early ages in
ror.

It

in all its rigor and horhad been planted with a sword reeking with

name Germany,

of man, had been estab-

human

gore, in the night of barbarism,

when

cannibals

drank the warm blood of one enemy out of the skull of another, and it had shot its venomous fibers every way,
rioted itself in every transaction
diversions, in everything secular
;

in religion, in law, in

and

sacred, so that the

wretched rustics had only one prospect for themselves and

all

their posterity

one

horrid prospect of everlasting

slavery."

And

of the effort of this unfortunate people to break

the iron yoke of tyranny, the author of the Religious

Encyclopedia says

" Munzer, and his associates, in the

^g^ous

year 1525, put themselves at the head of a

^ numerous army, and declared war against U laws, governments, and magistrates of every kind, under the chimerical pretext that Christ himself was now to take the reins of all governments into his hands but this seditious crowd was routed and dispersed by the Elector of Saxony, and other Princes, and Munzer, their leader, put to death." The Religious Encyc, " It must be acknowl- p. 77. riame author adds
:
:

najc,

The Munster

(Riot.

93

edged that the true rise of the insurrections of this period ought not to be attributed to religious opinions/' 2. The prime movers of the Munster riot were Pedobaptists.

Mr. Benedict says

in the very city of
.tist

" It -is certain that the disturbances

Munster, were begun by a Pedobap-

minister, of the Lutheran persuasion, whose name was Bernard Rotman, or Rothman that he was assisted in his endeavors by other ministers of the same persuasion and that they began to stir up tumults, that is, teach
;

revolutionary principles, a year before

*

the

Anabaptist

ringleaders,' as they are called, visited the place.

things the Papists knew,

and they

failed not to

These improve
insisted

them

to their

own advantage.

They uniformly

that Luther's doctrine led to rebellion, that his disciples

were the prime movers of the insurrections, and they also asserted that a hundred and thirty thousand Lutherans
perished in the rustic war."
3.

If the testimony of their enemies

of our day.

is

entitled to credit,

the Munsterites, in their practices, very

much

resemble

the
to

Mormons

charge the Baptists with

And it would be as legitimate the Mormon abominations, as

German
peasants of the

with the excesses of the frenzied

sixteenth century.
4.

The most

of these insurgents w^ere of no religion.

They

entered the rebellion as

men driven
But

to desperation,
it is

in order to

gain their independence.

freely ad-

mitted that some Catholics, some Lutherans, and some socalled Anabaptists, were

engaged in

this struggle for free-

dom.
5.

These deluded fanatics were

finally

destroyed in

battle.

94

German
tlieir

(Baptists.

Of
p. 3o6.

destruction

Mr. Orchard says:

'^

These op-

pressed
His Bap., vol
I,

men were
.

consequently met

by

^j^^.^,

instead of relords with a sword, '

dress; being defeated, they were slaugh-

and reproached the invariable results and concomitants of defeat Munzer, their friend and chief, was put
tered
;

to death.
6. tist

It

is

extremely unjust, therefore, to censure the Bapits

denomination for the impro23rieties of some of

members who were, or may have been, seduced into fanatOf the unjustness of these aspericism and turbulence. '' Historians of a certain class, and sions, Mr. Evans says
:

partisan writers, have been fond of desigvans

ary

ng.

^^^:^^^

j^g

'Anabaptists,^
all those

and gathering

around us

elements of social dis-

order and fearful profligacy which the scenes of Munster,

and the mad vagaries of Stork and his brethren, ever sugHard have they labored to identify us with these men. We are not careful to answer them in this matter. The men that shrunk not from the severe privations of the jail, and the more terrible punishment of the stake, were not affected much by a name. It answered the purpose of their adversaries for a time but they were blind
gest.
;

to the logical consequences of their

own

position.

They

forgot, in the fullness of their malice, the retribution to

which they were exposing themselves. To trace the sad events which resulted from the efforts to secure social
freedom, to the doctrines that the individuaL consciousness
of God's claim on man's affections, and that the Christian
profession
in water,

the

made by an immersion of the individual name of the Father, of the Son, and of Holy Ghost'; is only to lay open their own system to
is

only

in the

The Munster
the most crushing retort.
strate that the

(kiot.

95

It were just as easy to demonworld has been the vast theater on which

Pedobaptists have perpetrated crimes at which humanity

shudders, and over which piety and virtue must weep, as
that the Anabaptists, as a body, were found steeped in

crime and reveling in lust/^

Thus
fanatics
ples, the

liable to

shown by Mr. Evans that if the Baptists are some of the Munster rejected infant baptism, then, on the same princiit is

censure, simply because

Pedobaptists are chargeable with

all

the crimes

committed by their Catholic ancestors.

instituted the Inquisition ?

For

instance,

who

Pedobaptists.

Who preached
Pedothese

up the crusades against the ancient AYaldenses?

baptists.

Who are guilty of the

blood of sixty millions of

Pedobaptists.

the saints for conscience sake ?

But

things are passed over lightly by our accusers; and be-

cause some deluded Anabaptists of

Germany

joined in a

death struggle for liberty, the Baptists, as a denomination,

are

stigmatized as originating the Munster riot!

The
as

injustice of these charges is

shown by Mr. D'Anvers,

Anabaptists

follows

" That take

it

for granted, that things

were so as
^^^^^099

to matter of fact, that

many

did prove so horribly loichcd, as SpanhemiuSj Sleidan,

report, yet

Osiander, and others do

how

unreasonable and uncharitable would

it

be
to

to render all this people, either in those times or since,

be such persons also; and to judge an error in the prin-

ciple

professed

from the error in conversation of some that have it; for by the same rule may not the purest state of the church, both in the Old and New Testament, be censured and judged; who had their Chorals, Judas' and Diotrephes\ among them? But that others that owned

96

Ger'^nan baptists.

that principle, were

men

of another

spirit,

both in that as

well as former

and

latter times,

you have most ample and

authentic testimony from their greatest enemies.'^

But
mate

in

no sense can

it

be stated that the Baptists originIt

ated with the Munster rebellion.

for future historians to

would be

as legiti-

contend that the American

Baptists originated with the

Mormon movement

as for

one to affirm that the

German

Baptists started with the

Munster movement.
fore this

It will be seen that the

German
Re-

Baptists existed under the

name

of Anabaptists long beeditor of the

is

unhappy
^

affair.

Mr. Brown,

ligious

Encyclopedia says: "It

but jus-

tice to observe, also, that

the Baptists in

Holland, England, and the United States, are to be considered as entirely distinct from those seditious and fanatical

individuals above mentioned, as they profess an equal

aversion to all principles of rebellion on the one hand, and

of-

enthusiasm on the ther.

Buclz's T/ieol. Dictionary

3Iilneys Church History ; Robinson'' s Eccl. Researches

EncyclojJedia America; Benedicts History of the

tistsJ^

Bap-

These writers are too candid to associate the Baptists with the Munster riot. D'Aubigne, an eminent Pedobaptist historian, says
Quoted Intro,
to
,

'^
:

On

one point

it

-.

i seems necessary to guard agamst misap-

prehension.

Some persons imagine

that

the [Munster] Anabaptists of the times of the Reformation,

and the Baptists of our day, are the same. But they
This
is

are as different as possible.'^

the testimony of a
Baptists
are

learned historian,
as
different
:

who

declares

that the

as possible from the Munster Anabaptists.

the testimony of the Eoyal Encycloin the

Again

we have

pedia, as quoted

by Mr. Graves

Tri-Lemma.

Mr.

The Jvhmster

(kiot.

97

Graves says; "This great work, by William H. Hall, ^ Esq., with other learned, ino;enuous 2;en_ ^ ^' Tri-Lemma,]). 137. ? .S.o -r tlemen, was begun m London, libH, and completed in three large folio volumes. In the article 'Anabaptists/ after recounting the excesses of Muntzer,
.

Matthias, Borkholdt, and others, during the

century, in

sixteenth

Germany, the Encyclopedia proceeds: ^It is to be remarked that the Baptists, or Mennonites, in England and Holland are to be considered in a very different light from the enthusiasts we have been describing; and it appears equally uncandid and invidious to trace up their distinguished sentiments, as some of their adversaries have done, to those obnoxious characters, and then to
stop, in order, as
it

were, to associate with

it

it

the ideas of

turbulence and fanaticism, with which

natural connection.

certainly has

no

Their coincidence with some of

dis-

those oppressed and infatuated people, in denying baptism

to infants, is

acknowledged by the Baptists, but they

their doctrines

avow

the practice which the appellation of Anabaptist

implies;

and

seem referable to a more

ancient and respectable origin.

They appear supported by

and perse-

history in considering themselves the descendants of the

AYaldenses,

who were

so grievously oppressed

cuted by the despotic heads of the Eomish hierarchy.' '^

Reader, take notice: the authors of the Royal Encyclopedia are positive in their statement that the Baptists have

no connection with the Munster mob; but, on the contrary, they aJSirm that their doctrines seem referable to a more ancient and respectable origin. No one now, except
ua extremely wicked or ignorant man, will, in the face of
these historic facts, presume to affirm that the Baptists
originated' with the

Munster

affair.

Again, Mr. Benedict,

98

German

(Baptists.

speaking of the true Baptists of these times, says " Their peace principles, and those on oaths, cap:

were the same beand may be traced down, through the history of the Waldenses and other evangelical parties, Ho the remote depths of
.,

en.

IS.

ap

.^^1

punishment,

etc.,

fore the rustic

war

as afterward

antiquity.^

Menno

was, indeed, a distinguished teacher

among

the Anabaptists during the whole of his ministry

but Mosheim's account of his gathering up the fragments

of the society after their dispersion, and re-organizing them

upon new and

by anything that appears in their own relations. They were the same people in policy and practice before Menno came among them as afterward. We see them almost daily on trial in the criminal courts; and never were a people so uniform, and I may say so dauntless, in their religious
better principles,
is

not at

all sustained

professions, as

were the German Anabaptists

for the cen-

tury and a half

now under

review.

The

charges against

them seemed to have been stereotyped by the inquisitors, and their answers were uniform as to matters of fact, and always mild and explicit; and, as to the men of Munster for the scenes at both places were often or Amsterdam
to

they uniformly answered: 'These were not referred The our brethren we have no fellowship with such men.
men
of Munster were among yourselves,' or of your party. They did not admit, or even intimate, that they went off from But they bitterly them, or were ever in their connection.

complained of having to suffer for the faults of others that they knew nothing about, because some of them agreed
with them in rejecting infant baptism.'^
to observe here, that the

It

may be

proper

term Mennonites has,

in history,

been applied to different classes of religionists.

Menno

Origin of the
liimself,

German

(Baptists.

99

and the most of

tlie

Mennonites of his day, were

ptriet Baptists in their religious views; but the

modern
work,

baptism,
as
tist

Mennonites are wholly different ^yhen I use the term Mennonites,

:

they practice pouring for

in this

synonymous w^th
Mennonites of

Baptists, I refer to the true

Bap-

old.

Section
It
tists
is

The German baptists descended from II. THE ANCIENT WALDENSES.

a well-known fact that the Dutch, or German,
called "Anabaptists^^
Avere

changably.
baptist
'^

Bapand Waldenses interBaptists have ever rejected the term "AnaIt

is

as not applicable to themselves.

derived

from the Greek w^ords ana, anew or again, and baptizein, to immerse or baptize; and means, to baptize anew or
again.
Baptists have ever held, one Lord, one faith,

and
re-

one baptism; and

ceived the infant

when they

baptize those

who have
it

rite,

or have been

immersed without the

as re-

authority of Jesus Christ, they do not regard

baptism, as they regard such performances as invalid

no

baptism at

when, in this work, we speak of the Anabaptists of Germany, we do not allude to the Munster
all.

And

Anabaptists.

abundance of historic evidence of the fact that the people called, by their enemies, "Anabaptists," ex-

There

is

isted in

Germany long

before the

Munster insurrection

but how and where did they originate?

The

witnesses

already quoted, show that tliey descended from the ancient

Waldenses.
tory,

In thus ascending the stream of Baptist hispassed unscathed beyond the Munster riot, and find the Baptists still grappling with the combined

we have

100

German

^Baptists.

powers of the world in

tlie

sii^^port

of religious liberty, and

Bible as their only rule of faith and practice.

origin of the
nites,

German

Baptists,

Mosheim, the
""^
^

historian,

Of the who were called Mennosays " It may be observed,

:

in the first place, that the

^^''

Mennonites are
boast of

401

^^^ entirely in an error

their descent

when they

from the Waldenses, Petro-

brusians,

and other ancient

sects,

who
rise

are usually consid-

ered as witnesses of the truth, in times of general darkness and superstition.

Before the

of Luther and Cal-

vin, there lay concealed, in almost all the countries of

Euand
the

Bohemia, Moravia, Switzerland, Germany, many persons, who adhered tenaciously to following doctrine, Avhich the Waldenses, Wickliffites, Hussites, had maintained, some in a more disguised,
rope, particularly in

and and

That the more open and public manner, viz kingdom of Christ, or the visible church which he established upon earth, was an assembly of true and real saints, and ought, therefore, to be inaccessible to the wicked and unrighteous, and also exempt from all those institutions
others in a
:

which human prudence suggests to oppose the progress of iniquity, or to correct and reform transgressors.'^^ This is very important testimony, borne by the learned Mosheim, a Lutheran, Avho was intensely opposed to the Baptists, and lived in Gottingen, in Germany. Does he tell us that
the Mennonites, or " Anabaptists,'
ster? No.
'

originated at

Muntime

He informs us that they existed before the

of Luther and Calvin, in almost all the countries of

rope.

Eu-

In following up the succession of churches, we have now entered upon a period of our history before the Reformation of popery in the sixteenth century. Yes; before long before the voice of the Wittemburg reformer

Origin of the

German

^a^tists.

101

was lieard in the diet of Worms^ or John Calvin had emerged from the Romish apostacy, the Baptists were^
beaiing aloft the blood-stained banner of the Cross in the
fearful conflict

with the Romish Dragon.

In speaking
that,

of the origin of Baptists,

. .

Mosheim remarks
1
,
.
-,

"The

true ori2:in of that sect which acquired the

denomination oi Anabaptists by their administering

Ch. His., p. 490.

anew the

rite

of baptism to those

who came

over to their communion, and derived that of Mennonites

from the famous man

of their present

to

whom

they owe the greatest part

felicity, is

hid in the depths of antiquity^

and

is,

of consequence, extremely difficult to be ascer-

tained/^

Pursuing the Baptist succession, Mosheim

the Munster tragedy.

fol-

lows them to the depths of antiquity, beyond the times of

Menno and
as

With

all

of his opposi-

tion to Baptists, he does not attempt to locate their origin,

some do, with Muntzer.

It will be

remembered that

the same class of people

who were

called Baptists in

land, and Anabaptists in Germany, were also called

nonites,

EngMen-

not that he was their founder, but because he

united with them, and became one of their most powerful

and

influential ministers.

The modern Mennonites

are wholly different from the

ancient Mennonite Anabaptists.

For

the so-called

Men-

nonites of the present time admit of pouring for baptism,

those old Mennonites were uncomproIn proof that the Baptists of England, Anabaptists of Germany, and ancient Mennonites, were regarded as the same " sect,'^ or denomination, we cite the following from Mosheim " The sectaries in England, who reject the custom of baptizing in- Mosheim' s Ch. fants, are not to be distinguished by the His., p. 500.

while

Menno and

mising dippers.

102

German

baptists.

title

of Anabaptists, but by that of Baptists.

It

is,

ever, pro]:>able that they derive their origin from the

howGer

man and Dutch

they ado])te
1

Mennonites, and that, in former times^

their doctrine in all its points/^

And speaking of these same Baptists, whom he calls Mennonites, Mosheim says that they " are not entirely in
an error when they boast of their descent from the Waldenses, Petrobrusians, and other ancient sects, who are
usually considered as witnesses of the truth, in the times

of general darkness and superstition/^

the same where it is recorded in the Royal Encyclopedia, that the Baptists APPEAR SUPPORTED BY HISTORY IN CONSIDERING

And

has already been proved in the former section,

THEMSELVES THE DESCENDANTS OF THE WaLDENSES, WHO WERE SO GRIEVOUSLY OPPRESSED AND PERSECUTED BY THE DESPOTIC HEADS OF THE EOMISH HIERARCHY. In confirmation of the fact that the Dutch and German Baptists sprang from the original Waldenses, we here introduce a statement from the report from the learned committee appointed by the
history of the

King of Holland, to prepare a Dutch Reformed Church, in Avhich they

:

devote one chapter to the Baptists.

The author of the Encyclopedia describes this committee as follows " An

Account of the Origin of the Dutch .e^^ww.s .ncyc, gj^p^jg^g^^ ^^ Mennonites, was published at Breda, in 1819, by Dr. Ypeij, Professor of Theology, at Groningen, and the Rev. I. J. Dermout. Chaplain to the King of the Netherlands, learned
^

Pedobaptists,'^ of the

Dutch Reformed Church.

These

learned men, appointed by royal authority, and living in

Holland, having access to the libraries and archives of

Origin of the
Germany, have made
Baptists.

German

(Baptists.

103

their report on the origin of the

Do

they locate their origin with the Munster

rebelUon ?

"We

We have their concluding language, as follows have now seen that the Baptists who were for,

latter _ were the original W aldenses; and who have long, in the history of the church, On this account, the received the honor of that origin.

merly called Anabaptists, and, in

times, Mennonites,

Baptists
nity

may

be considered as the only Christian commuapostles,

which has stood since the days of the

all ages.

and

as

a Christian society, w^hich has preserved pure the doctrines

of the Gospel through

The

perfectly correct

external and internal economy of the Baptist denomination,

tends to confirm the truth, disputed by the Romish

Church, that the Beformation brought about in the sixteenth century, was in the highest degree necessary ; and,
at the

same time, goes

is

to refute the erroneous notion of

the Catholics, that their

This testimony

communion is the most ancient.'^ worthy of being embalmed in the

It
is

memory

of every lover of truth.

not the language

of some "bigoted" Baptist, but the deliberate statement of learned Pedobaptist historians after years of investigation.

Of their

testimony,

Newton Brown,

editor of Religious
,

Encyclopedia, says: "This testimony, from ^ the highest official authority in the Dutch

^^
'

Reformed Church, is certainly a rare instance of liberality toward another denomination. It is conceding all the Mennonites or Baptists claim. It should be added, that
they have constantly, but politely, declined the salaries

which the government of Holland tions under its authority."

offers to all

denomina-

104

German

(Baptists.

It will not be amiss to emphasize several items

which

Lave been 1. That

lists,

settled in this important

the Baptists,

document
called

who were formerly

AnahapWal-

and

in latter times Mennonites, were the original

denses.
2.

Tliat the Baj)tists

may

be considered as the only Chris^

since
the

tian community which has stood

apostles.
3.

days of

the

That

the Baptists

may

he considered as the only CJwis-

tian society which has preserved

pure

the doctrines of the

Gospel through
4.

all

And that

the

from the apostles. Baptist communion is more ancient than

ages

the Catholics.

With

these incontrovertible facts before us, will the un-

blushing impudence of his satanic majesty ever again so

far expose the malice of the pit, as to affirm that the
tists

Bap-

originated with the

mad

proceedings of the Munster

affair?

The

learned history, from which this extract in the

cyclopedia was taken, was written in the

Prof. T.

EnDutch language.

W. Tobey

has translated the entire chapter on

the Baptists from the original.

This valuable translation

may be found

in the Southern Baptist

Review

for 1859.

This document throws

much

light on this question.

Prof.

Tobey informs us that the names of the authors of this history, are " A. Ypeij and I. J. Dermout '^ and the name of their work is, " History of the Netherlands^ Reformed Church.'^ The work consists in four volumes.
;

We will
who

proceed to furnish several quotations from this

valuable work, written by these learned Pedobaptists,

lived in the Netherlands

among

the people

whom
differ

they describe.

This translation does not materially

Origin of the Gerinan baptists.

105

from that already quoted from the Encyclopedia, but it gives all the chapter on the Baptist question, while the They do not originate the Baporner only gives a part. Dr. Ypeij and Prof. tists with the Munster rebellion.

Dermout

say, in their notice of the Baptists, that "these

in history by the and ought, by no ^o-q ^ means, to be considered the same as the Baptists.^^ These historians admit that the true Baptists were called Anabaptists, but they here speak of " the vile

Protestants are

known

name

oi Anabaptists,

Anabaptists.'^
.

Again, our authors say

1

"

The honest
l^i^^-:

Baptists suffered the most severely from this

prejudice, because they

the people to

were considered by be the same, and were called by the same

.11,

P-

11.

name.

The

fact that they agreed in their opinions re-

specting the holy ordinance of baptism, Avas the unfortu-

nate occasion of this thing.

tists in

On

this account, the

Bap-

Flanders and in Friesland, suffered the most ter-

rible persecutions. '^

That the Baptists of those times

were innocent of these disturbances, is seen, as follows " The Emperor and all his statesmen knew that the Baptists

generally, had, both

by word and deed,

testified that their

peace-loving hearts ab-

horred the seditious conduct of the Anabaptists.^' " How evident these Dutch historians proceed
:

And
it

w^as

that,

although the Baptists appeared to agree

'

exactly with the Anabaptists in respect to

the baptisDftal question, the former entirely disapproved,

of the course pursued by the latter.

For it had been, and continued to be, a doctrine of the Baptists, that the bearing of arms was very unbecoming to a Christian.'' And, in conclusion, we here insert the noted passage

106

German

baptists.

concerning the antiquity of the Baptists, as translated by Prof. Tobey. These historians say " We have now seen
:

Ibid., pp. 19,20.

.,

^r.

r.r.

that thc Baptists who, in former times,

^- / 11 1 A I 1 ^ Anabaptists, and were cailed at a

later pe-

liod Mennonites, were originally Waldenses, who, in the

history of the Church, even from the most ancient times,

have received such a well-deserved homage.

count the Baptists
religious

On

this ac-

may be

considered, as of old, the only

community which has continued, from the times of the apostles, as a Christian society which has kept pure
through
all

ages the evangelical doctrines of religion.

The

uncorrupted inward and outward condition of the Baptist

community, afPords proof of the truth contested by the Romish

Church of the great necessity of a reformation of religsuch as that which took place in the sixteenth century, and also a refutation of the erroneous notion of the Roman
ion,
is the most ancient.^^ have traced a regular succession of Baptists from the shores of America to Wales, England, and Germany, and to the valleys of the Alps, long before the Munster

Catholics, that their denomination

We

rebellion.

We

history prior to the Lutheran Reformation.

riod, prior to the year le520,

have now entered upon a period of our In this pe-

we

find no Lutherans, Epis-

copalians, Presbyterians, nor Methodists, and, of course,

But the Baptist denomination here stands alone as the " pillar and ground of the truth," as the mighty pyramid of Gospel light, whose apex touches heaven, and whose rays light up the dreary pathway of the dismal ages upon which we are now entering.
no Campbellites.

We

have fully established the

historic fact that the

Baptists sprang from the ancient Waldenses; and this leads us to the consideration of the next objection.

(Baptist Succession.

107

CHAPTER
1.

VI.

THE ANCIENT WALDENSES.

2.

The Name Waldenses. The Charge of Drs. Miller and Rice against
Historian.

Jones, thb

3.

Ancient Waldenses Baptists

baptists.

Modern Waldenses Pedo-

4.

The Origin of the Waldenses.

I.

Section

The name waldenses.

originally applied to

The name Waldenses was

it

the

inhabitants of the valleys of the Alps, but, in after times,

was applied

to that class of Christians, everywhere,

who embraced
valleys.

the same views with the inhabitants of the

This name has sometimes been applied, by the

Catholics, Avith such latitude as to embrace all the

Roman
sects

which opposed the doctrines of Rome.

Therefore,

in the perusal of the pages of history,

we

find the term

Waldenses applied
tional cast.

to parties of almost every

denomina-

And

a failure to observe the proper distinc-

tions in the use of this

name, has led

some

historians lo

very incorrect conclusions as regards the doctrine of the

Waldenses.
It
is

claimed by some, that the Waldenses derived their

a merchant of Lyons,

name from one Peter Waldo,

lived in the twelfth century.

But
It
is

this position is

who now

almost universally abandoned.

a historic fact, fully

made

out, that the

name Waldenses was

applied to the

108

TJie Ancient

V/aldenses.

inhabitants of

tlie

valleys, as a religious

before the time of Peter Waldus.

community, long Mr. Jones, the historian,

says
onfs
I.

" It
"^

is

also

proved from their books,

ts.,

^j^^^

P 232.

they existed as Waldenses before the

time of Peter AValdo,

who preached about

the year 1160.'^

ax
^^^9f^} JIis.j p. 3o3.

the same point Mr. Waddington remarks " That we may not fall
:

And upon
^Y\Q
.

^'

^j-^4-Q

error of
.

Mosheim, who
'

ascribes

the origm of that sect to an individual

named Waldus.

Peter Waldus, or Waldensis, a native of

;

Lyons, was a layman and a merchant

ing the avocations of a secular
life,

but, notwithstand-

he had studied the real

character of his church with attention, followed by shame.

Stung with the spectacle of so much impurity, he abandoned his profession, distributed his wealth among the poor, and formed an association for the diffusion of Scriptural truth.

1180.

He commenced his ministry about the year Having previously caused several parts of the
w^ith great effect, to

Scriptures to be translated into the vulgar tongue, he ex-

pounded them,

an attentive body of disciples both in France and Lombardy. In the course of his exertions he probably visited the valleys of Pied-

mont; and there he found a people of congenial spirits. They were called Vaudois or Waldenses (men of the valand as the preaching of Peter may probably have leys) coniirmed their opinions and cemented their discipline, he acquired and deserved his sirname by his residence among them. At the same time, their connectioji with Peter and his real Lyonese disciples established a notion of their identity; and the Yaudois, in return for the title which they had bestowed, received the reciprocal appellation of Leonists. Such, at least, appears the most j^roba;

The Manie Waldenses.

ble

109

among many varying

acconnts.

There are some

T\'ho

believe the Yauclois to have enjoyed the uninterrupted

integrity of the faith even from the apostolic ages; others

suppose them to have been disciples of Claudius Turin,

the evangelical prelate of the ninth century.

At

least it

may

be pronounced, with great certainty, that they had

been long in existence before the visit of the Lyonese

reformer.'^

It would appear from these accounts that Peter, the merchant of Lyons, received the name Waldus from the Waldenses, and not the Waldenses their name from him.

The same
the Latin
'

is

confirmed by Kobinson, as follows:

^

"From
French

vallis
^

came the English

^
'

valley,^ the

and Spanish
'

valle,' the Italian

valdeci,^ the
^

Low Dutch
The words

velleye,' the

Provencal

vaux,

vaudois,' the Ecclesias-

tical

S^allenses,^

S^aldenses,'

Svaldenses.^

simply signify valleys, inhabitants of valleys, and no

more. " It happened that the inhabitants of the valleys of the

Pyrenees did not profess the

faith
;

Catholic
'

it fell

out also that the inhabitants

"

''

o'a9

of the valleys about the Alps did not embrace

it
;

it

happened, moreover, in the ninth century, that

one Valdo, a friend and counselor of Berengarius, and a

man

of eminence

who had many

followers, did not

it

approve
to pass,

of the papal discipline and doctrine; and

came

about a hundred and thirty years

chant of Lyons,
his religious notions

after, that

a rich mer-

who was called Yaldus, because he received

from the inhabitants of the valleys,

openly disavowed the

Roman

religion, supported

many

to

teach the doctrines believed in the valleys, and became the

instrument of the conversion of great numbers.

All theso

110

The Ancient Waldenses.

;

people were called Waldenses

that

and hence it came to pasa some contended they were Manicheans and Arians, and others that they were the direct opposite." Notwithstanding the name Waldenses originally designated the inhabitants of certain Alpine valleys, yet
it

finally

became the general name of a large body of Christians inhabiting many countries. On this point, Mr. Jones remarks " Such is the view which Reiones IS., j^gp-^g gave of the principles of the Wal:

I.

denses, about eighty years subsequent to the

times of Peter

Waldo

and

Ave

must understand

this de-

scription as applicable to one general class of Christians,

scattered throughout the south of France, the valleys of

the Pyrenean mountains, the valleys of Piedmont, and the

country of the Milanese, though

probably distin-

guished, in different places, by the different names of

Puritans or Catharists, Paterines, Arnoldists, Leonists,

Albigenses or Waldenses, the
last of

which ultimately be-

came their more general appellation." Mr. Jones further adds " That the general body of the
:

Albigenses received the doctrines of Peter

Jones^
p, 242.

Ch.

His.,

^y^^jj
.

^^-^^^
.

these doctrines

had no con-

nection with Manicheism, and that the

Waldenses and Albigenses were two branches of the same

sect,

inhabiting different countries, each deriving

its

ap-

pellation

from its local residence." Many other writers mieht be adduced in confirmation of the fact thnt the AValdenses received their name originally from the valleys
of the Alps.

But

in

addition to the general

AValdenses applied to the class of Christians

the Alps, a multitude of local

name of who embraced

the principles of the original inhabitants of the valleys of

names and nick-names were

The J^ame Waldenses.

a]>plied to this people.
^'

Ill

Of these names, Mr. Jones

says

In Languecloc, the Catholics affirm that the origin of these

heretics
their

was

recent,

and that they derived

or "Waldenses,
p. Zol.

name of Vaudois,

^01

*'

from Peter Waldo, one of their barbes or preachers, whose immediate followers were called Waldenses.

But

this

was rather the renovation of the name,

its original.

from a particular cause, than

extended over that
district

Accordingly,

it

only in France where Peter

Waldo

preached, for in other districts the people,

who

were branches of the same original sect, as in Dauphine, were, from a noted preacher, called Josephists; in Languedoc they were called Henricians; and in other provinces, from Peter Bruys, they were called Ptrobrusians.

Sometimes they received their name from their manners, and from the foreign country whence it was presumed they had been expelled, they
as Catharists {Puritans)
;

w^ere

called

Bulgarians,^

or Bougres.

In Italy they
is,
^

were commonly called

brotherhood,^

Fratricelli, that

men

of the
love

because

they

cultivated

brotherly

among
in
cians,'

themselves, acknowledging one another as brethren

Christ.

Sometimes they were

as

denominated ^Pauli^Publicans,' considsect,

and, by corruption of the

word

ering

them

sprung from that ancient

which, in the

seventh century, spread over Armenia and Thrace, and

which, when persecuted by the Greek emperor, might

migrate into Europe and mingle with the Waldenses in

Piedmont.

try or city in

Sometimes they were named from the counwhich they prevailed, as Lombardists, Toulousians, and Albigenses. These branches, however, all sprang from one common stock, and were animated by the

same

religious

and moral principles/^

112

The Ancient Waldenses.

to all these local

In addition

names, applied to the Walto

denses, they were also called, especially in Italy, Paterines.

Mr. Orchard says

'^

" The

name of Paterines was given

the Waldenses; and who, for the

/^
)

most

'^2''0

'

P^^'^^

h.Q\di

the same opinions, and have,

therefore, been taken for one

class of people,

and the same

with refer-

who

continued

till

the Reformation, under

the

name

of Paterines or Waldenses/^

And

ence to the various names applied to the Waldenses, the

American Sunday-School Union, very justly remarks: '^Though these eminent witnesses for the truth are now termed, generally, Waldenses and AlBIGEXSES, yet they were formerly known ^^o a^rr^^^^i o by a variety oi names some aerived irom their teachers, some from their manner of life, some from the places w^here they resided, some from the fate they suffered, and some from the malice of their enemies. The valleys of Piedmont, first gave them the name of Yallenses, "Waldenses, or Vaudois, a name which has since been employed to distinguish them as a primitive church. Those in the south of France Avere termed Albigenses, or poor men of Lyons, from their residence in or about Albi and Lyons. In like manner they were called Picards, Lombards, Bohemians, Bulgarians, etc., from the countries in which they dwelt. The epithets Cathari and Paterines were applied to them as terms of reproach; and that of Lollards, either from the same cause, or from a AYalA

densean pastor, AYalter Lollard,

It

who

flourished about the

middle of the thirteenth century.'^

is

not

my

purpose, in this work, to give a detailed

account of

all these families

of "Waldenses, in the various

countries, but I only design to follow

up

the church succes-

Tlie

J\iciiiie

Waldenses.

113

sion in the

most direct
all

line tlirongh the ancient

Waldenses.

I do not claim

who

have, loosely, been called

Wal-

denses, as Baptists.

At

the present time there are parties in religion which

are sometimes called Baptists;

are our antagonists.

and

yet, religiously, they

gards the

The same seems to be true as reWaldenses. The ancient, pure Waldenses, who
Pope
as

are the ancestors of the Baptists, regarded the

Antichrist, the

Church of Borne

as the whore of Baby-

They had no lon, the Bomish traditions as base idolatry. communion or affiliation with the Catholic Church -^vhatThey held all the Papal rites and ceremonies in ever. But the utmost abhorrence, as emanating from the devil. there w^as a class of religionists who were called Waldenses by some Catholic writers and modern Protestant
historians,

sometimes

who w^ere a kind of Baalamite Waldenses, who communed with the Catholics; and they even

had their children " baptized ^^ by Catholic priests. These were not the faithful Waldenses, who bore testimony against the corruptions of Antichrist through the dark
ages.

These so-called Waldenses partook of the Bomish

abominations in order to screen themselves from persecu-

This class of pseudo Waldenses, however, had no permanent independent church organization until the time of the Beformation of the sixteenth century. This accounts
tion.

for the claim of the

denses were Pedobaptists.

shown that the

true

modern Pedobaptists, that the AValBut it will be abundantly Waldenses were Anti-pedobaptists.

We
1.

now regard the following points as fully established Ttiat the term Waldenses was applied to the Christian

inhabitants of the valleys oj the Alps long before the time

of Peter Waldo.

U'l

The
TJiat Peter of

Aiicient Waldenses.

2.

Waldo, from the

them.
3.

Lyons received the name Waldus, or Waldenses, on account of his umon ic'Uh
Waldenses was derived from the
resi-

That

the term

dence in the valleys of the Alps, of the ancient martyrs of

Jesus.

It

must he

distinctly understood that the use of the

in this

name Waldenses,

work,

is

designed to apply to the

qualification is ijsed

pure, ancient Waldenses, unless

some

to indicate a different application.

Section II. The charge of des. miller and rice AGAINST JONES, THE HISTORIAN.
" Blessed are ye when
iMatt.

men

shall revile

you and perse

^r

..

5: 11,12.

-.-.-,..

cute you, and shall say all manner of evil ' -p i- i ^ my sake. i\ejoice, lor agamst you lalsely,

,\
:

and be exceeding glad

for so persecuted
you.'^

for great

is

your reward

in

heaven

they the prophets which wai'e before

It

was

foretold

by Christ and the

apostles, that the

filth

faithful witnesses of Jesus should

be accounted the

and off-scouring of the world. Christ and the apostles The ancient WalAvere slandered and cruelly persecuted. denses were misrepresented and persecuted b}^ the doctors
of the Catholic Church.

And

it

need not be a matter of

surprise that the Presbyterian D.D.^s, descendants of the

Catholic Church, should misrepresent and slander a Baptist historian.

As

these learned dignitaries of Presbytetlie

rianism have assailed

character of William Jones, the

Baptist historian, charging

him with fabrication smd false-

Charges against the Historian Jones.

hoodj
it

115

becomes us

to pause

and examine the grounds of Mr. Whary, which

:

these fearful accusations.

Dr. Miller, in his

lished in the
^'

letter to

is

pub-

Sketches of Church History/^ says

all

" That
^'^j^^>

Mr. Jones has carefully withheld

the
-|o..a*

evidences of this fact (infant baptism)

from his readers/' and then charges Mr. Jones w^ith ^^ forgery .'' And Dr. Rice makes his charge
against
n

Mr. Jones

as follows
X-

^'
:

I have another interest-

ing portion of history, which I will pre-^<?&- "w^t^^ Camp^ Mr. r^ ... Campbell, and other Anti-pedobaptists, have claimed the Waldenses and Albigenses (those witnesses for God and the truth, in the dark ages, when Christianity seemed almost lost from the earth) as Anti-pedobaptists. This claim is set up by Mr. Jones, the Baptist historian, of whose history Mr. Campbell has spoken in the

sent lor your consideration.

T\T

highest terms ; yet, in his account of the Waldenses, though quoting avoAvedly from Perrin's history, he left '^ out everything that squinted at infant baptism
!

Dr. Eice bases this charge, upon the discrepancy in the

accounts of Paul Perrin and AVilliam Jones, of the report of the commissioners to Louis

XIL, King
it

of France,

concerning the Waldenses.

that

Mr. Pice took

for granted
left

Mr. Jones pretended

to quote Perrin,

and

out

the clause which Perrin

tism.

inserts concerning infant

bap-

But, as will be seen, Mr. Jones does not profess

to quote Perrin;

he says, "quoted by Perrin. '^

to the original

So, the

question
be settled

of veracity between

Perrin and Jones must

by reference

document, the

re-

port to Louis.
conflicting

We

will

now

proceed to introdace the

accounts of Perrin

and Jones, upon which

116

Tlie Ancient

Waldenses,

Mr. Miller and Rice rely to convict Jones of falsehood, " King Louis XII., of France, having rePeri'in says
:

ceived information from the enemies of the

aldAu!i' ^^Ig*
^^^al^e^^s^^s,

dwelling in Provence, of sev-

which they fathered upon them, sent to the place Adam Fumee, Master of liequests, and a Sorbonist doctor, called Parni, who was his
eral heinous crimes

confessor, to

make

inquiry into the matter.

They

visited

and temples, and neither found there any images, or sign of the ornaments belonging to the mass or ceremonies of the Romish Church much less could they discover any of those crimes with which they were charged. But rather that they kept the Sabbath
all their parishes
;

duly, caused their children to be baptized according to the

them the articles of the Christian and the commandments of God. The King having heard the report of the said commissioners, said, with an
primitive church, taught
faith,

oath, that they were better

ple.^^

men than

himself or his peoof France,

Mr. Jones says

JoneJ Ch. His.,
c,nr.

^^

Louis the

XIL, King
j.

being informed by the enemies of the Wal^ . i jy denses inhabiting a part ot the province
i

A^^

of Provence, that several heinous crimes

were laid to their account, sent the Master of Requests, and a certain doctor of Sorbonne, who was confessor to
his majesty, to

make

inquiry into this matter.

On

their

return, they reported that they

ishes

had -visited

all

the par-

where they dwelt, had inspected their places of

worship, but that they had found no images, nor signs of

the ornaments belonging to the mass, nor

any of the

cer-

emonies of the Romish Church

cover any traces of those

much

less

could they dis-

criir.es

with which they v/ere

Charges against
cliarged.

tJie

Historian Jones.

117

On

the contrary, they kept the Sabbath day,

observed the ordinance of baptism according to the primitive church, instructed their children in the articles

of

the Christian faith, and the

commandments of God.

The

King, haying heard the report of his commissioners, said, with an oath, that they were better men than himself or
his people/^

In regard to this difference between the historians Perand Jones, Dr. Rice remarks " Here Camp, and Bice' J 7 TV T ^^ Mr. Jones, when he came to infant bap.aDebate, p. 40o. tlsm, wholly omitted it; and instead of
rin
:

J.

i-

-r,

saying, as did the author he quoted, ^causing their children

to be baptized,'

he says,

'

observed the ordinance of bap! ! !

tism according to the primitive church

'

Thus, the

Waldenses are proved

ing their testimony.
tory, I

to be Anti-pedobaptists,

by conceal-

more glaring

falsification of his-

never saw.''
the Southern Baptist Review says
:

A writer in
then,

"Here,
'

we have

the standing charge of fal'

and forgery, first made against yt^^'\^o Mr. Jones by Dr. Miller, then reiterated and attempted to be proved by Mr. Rice, both eminent Presbyterian divines. But it happens that there is a slight
sification

mistake in the statements of these gentlemen, which, being

discovered, will materially relieve
*

Mr. Jones from the

is

undesirable' position in which he

thus placed as a

Mr. Jones does not quote Perrin, as is alleged, but the same authority which Perrin quotes. The authority,' says Elder Waller, which Perrin
liistorian.
is

The mistake

this

'

'

quotes

is

Vesembecius' Oration respecting the Waldenses.

Jones refers to the same authority

Vesembecius' Oration
Y.

on the Waldenses,

in Perrin, chap.

He does not say, as

118

The Ancient Waldenses.

quoted from Pcrrin.

He

evidently looks beyond Perrin,

and draws
peal

his authority

from the same source.

To impeach

Jones, therefore, and to discredit

him

as a historian, ap-

must be made to the original authority the authorupon which he and Perrin both rely to the Oration of Vesembecius. This, Mr. Pice did not do. He has, consequently, made his charge at random, and affirmed concerning that of which he knew nothing. Had he gone to the proper source for information, he would have found that Jones was right and Perrin wrong." That part of the oration of Vesembecius concerning which this controversy has arisen, is found in the celebrated discussion between Pope and Maguire, held in Mr. Pope was an Dublin, Ireland, in the year 1827. Episcopalian, and could have no partiality for the Baptist In fact, this discussion occurred side of this controversy. It will before this charo;e was made a(>:ainst Mr. Jones. be found by the examination of the Latin, from the report
ity
:

of the commissioners to

King

Louis, that Jones

is

correct,
is

and the modern translations of Perrin wrong.

opinion that,
if

It

my

history in the
is

French

we could procure the original of Perrin^s lans^uatre, we would find that there
It
is

no discrepancy between Perrin and Jones.

possible

that the error has crept into the

modern

translations of

Perrin.

Mr. Pope,

in his debate with Maguire, a

Pomish

priest, gives the

circumstances of the commission to the

"

Waldenses, with the report in Latin, and the translation,

as follows
:

When some
x^

cardinals

and

Pope

&

Maguire
T

^^i^^es

accused the Waldenses in Merin1

Di^., p. 19b.

A Cabricrs of grievous crimes, and and ri urged Lewis XII. to root them out, the Waldenses, hav-

dol

ing notice thereof, sent their deputies to his majesty to

Charp-C3

a^-aiiist the

Historian Jones.

119

declare their innocence.

tlie

prelates were instant upon but the king any audience to give them make war against if were to the Turk, he that he answered, him. king The accordingly sent would previously hear Adam Fumee, his Master of Requests, and Doctor Parni, his confessor, to search and inquire both into their life and religion. The commissioners visited those places, and upon their return reported to the king the result of their examviz: ^That men were baptized; the articles of ination faith, and the .ten commandments, were taught; the Lord's day observed; the word of God preached; and no' show

The

king not

of wickedness or fornication to be perceived

among them

but that they found not any images in their churches, nor

any ornaments belonging

to the mass.^

The

king, hearing this report of the commissioners, said

it

(and bound

\Yith

an oath), ^That they were better men

subjects.^

than he or the rest of his Catholic

'

Turn rex etiamsi, inquit, nihi in Turcam aut diabolum bellum suscipiendum esset eos tamen prius audire vellem.^

Wesemhecii
'Illi

Oratio de Valdens., p. 418, extat in Joach.

Camerarii Hisfor. Narrationes de Fratrum, Orthod. EccL in Bohemia.

ad regem referunt, illis in locis homines baptizari, decalogum doceri, dominicos dies religiose coli, Dei verbum exponi, veneficia et stupra apud eos nulla, esse. His auditis rex, Jurejurando addito, me, inarticulos fidei et
quit,
et cetero

populo meo Catholico meliores

ilia viri

sunt.'

JbkL,

p. 419.

^Ceterum se in ipsorum templis neque imagines neque ornamenta missse ulla reperisse.' Ibld.^'
ance.

Vie consider the foregoing quotation of great importIt contains the original of the report which must

120

Tlie

Ancient Waldenses.

settle the question of the veracity of

Wm.

Jones, the his-

torian,

who

has gone to his reward.

Perrin's history rep-

resents the commissioners as saying that the

Waldenses
to

" Caused their children

primitive church;^' but

to

be baptized according

the

of the children, for

rian.

Mr. Jones leaves out the baptizing which he is branded as a false histo-

But the report says, ^^ homines baptizari/' "that the word infantes is not in the report. men were baptized As remarked by J. L. Waller: "The charge against
;

'^

Jones
recoil

falls to
'^

the earth, and the blows at his reputation

It turns out that

on the heads of his accusers.

Jones
tor,

is

the correct historian, and Perrin, or his transla-

must be wrong. Pedobaptist writers are, certainly, hard pressed to prove Pedobaptism on the Waldenses.

Mr. Jones did not conceal the

liistory

of the Waldenses;

he freely admits, as will be seen hereafter, that the present Waldenses are Pedobaptists.
It is a pity that such

men

as Drs. Miller

and Rice

will attempt to blast the

character of a historian without an investigation of all

the evidences

on which they found their accusations.

the moral courage to withdraw their

Have

such

men

charges?

If such

men

as these will resort to such un-

worthy means

to injure the character of Baptists, after they

are sleeping in the tomb,

mon herd
tist

of sectarians

who

what may be expected of the comare not accjuainted vrith Bapconduct

history ?

And why need vre be surprised at the

when learned men, who

of Catholics for tearing up the remains of the dead to be

consigned to the flames,

profess to

be reformed Christians, are willing, without the slightest

foundation, to tear from the
of a Baptist historian
will

tomb of the past the character and consign it to infamy? There

light.

be a time when secret things will be brought to

Ancient Waldenses

(Baptists.

121

Section

The akcient waldenses baptists III. THE modern waldenses PEDOBAPTISTS.

all

Of

the slanders and misrepresentations Avliich have a well-known

been perpetrated against the ancient Waldenses, the most

remarkable
historical

is

that of infant baj)tism.

that
for

It

is

fact,

rejecting

infant

baptism their
centuries.

blood was poured out like water for

many

And

it is

also admitted,

by

all parties,

that the present

inhabitants of the valleys of the Alps (called Waldenses)

are Pedobaptists.

failure to distinguish
is

between the

ancient and

modern Waldenses,

the main cause of the

confusion concerning the denominational features of these

peojple.

It

may

not be amiss to distinguish between these

two

classes of

Waldenses, by calling the ancient class

Baptist

Waldenses,

and the modern

class

Pedohaptist

Waldenses.

The

present Pedobaptist Waldenses are not

the denominational descendants of the ancient

ses.

Waldenfact,

They descended from

It

the Protestant Reformation

is

under Calvin and others.

munity.
gious
It afterward

important to note the

that the term Waldenses was

first

applied to a local comreli-

became the general name of a

;

denomination throughout Europe

is

name

restricted to a local

community
is

the inhabitants
dispute as to the

but now the

of the valleys,

who sprang from

the Reformation of the

sixteenth century.

And there

now no

denominational character of these modern Waldenses.

They
It
is

are Pedobaptists.

But the ancient Waldenses, who

were regarded as the witnesses for Christ, were Baptists.

admitted that there were some persons, after the
times of

Huss and Jerome,

in

Bohemia and other

places

who

protested

occasionally against

the corrupiions

of

122

The Ancient Waldenses.

at the

same time received her ordinances and These were sometimes called Waldenses; but they were not the witnessing Waldenses. In regard to this controversy Mr. Orchard says " The earliest claims which PedoOrch. Bapt. Ms., baptists can establish to any section of vol. I p. 308; ^i^ggg dissidents, as a distinct body from see also, Rob. _ _, ^ i i -rNr. Eccl.Res. p. 488. J-^oii^^, is irom a document dated lo08. This instrument is easily explained. During the ministry of Huss and Jerome, many persons
conformed, in part, to her superstitions.
:
.

Kome, and

Avere brouo^ht

into

their cono^reo^ations

who

could not
death,
a

forego

the

Roman
i.

ceremonies.
in Zisca's

After Huss^

great

many, found

Calixtines

army

(1433), were called

e.,

persons

who wished

the cup in the eu-

charist restored to the laity, but in every other respect

Another part was made up of those persons who were zealous for reform in church and state;
were Catholics.
while a third part Avas called Waldenses, or Picards,
interfered not in political affairs.^'

who

Of

these wavering

Bohemian Hussites who separated

from the Calixtines in 1457, Mr. Orchard says: ^'Such was the unsettled state of the rest and re

71

^309*^^

'

^^i^^^^' of

"^^^^s

body, that they published

confessions

nine
rather one creed
ins. Res., p.

creeds,

or

of faith, or

amended and improved each time.

(Rob-

312.)

The

fourth, with the fifth edition imis

proved, was presented,

dislaus, while

it

said, in 1508, to

King Ula-

he was in Hungary.

The

confession pre-

sented to the king, says, in the preface, that the petitioning

"party
und'^jr

were not Waldenses, though they were persecuted

that name."

From

this testimony

we

discover that

the

first

dated document, or confession of faith,

among

tho

Ancient Waldenses

(Baptists.

123

WaldeDses in support of infant baptism, was published

in

1508 by the Calixtine Hussites, who were not the descendants of the original Waldenses, and by their own confession were not

Waldenses

at

all.

And

yet Pedobaptist

historians gravely quote this confession in proof of the

Pedobaptist character of the ancient Waldenses.

But the document mainly

relied

on by the champions

of infant baptism to prove the charge of infant baptism on the ancient Waldenses, is the " Spiritual Alma-

nac"!! This rare document was found among MoreWaldensean manuscripts, gathered about the year 1655, and its date and authorship is entirely unknown but it is supposed to have been written by George Moril, about the year 1530. But some Pedobaptists claim the Spiritual Almanac as a very ancient and pure Waldensean document. It is relied on by Perrin and Wall to refute the standing
land's
;

charge of the Catholics, that the Waldenses rejected infant

baptism.

This charge of the Catholic writers, that the Wal-

denses "rejected the baptism of infants," Paul Perrin calls

^'

caluniny.^^

He

remarks:
it

"The
is

fourth calumny was

concernino; baptism, which

said they

is

denied to miants.

J^

rom

this imputation

they quit themselves as follows: ^Neither

place appointed for those
ity,

the time or

who must be

baptized ; but char-

and the

edification of the

church and congregation,

ought to be the rule in

this matter; yet, notwithstanding,

we bring our children

do to

to be baptized,

whom they are nearest related as are their parents^ or those whom God hath inspired with such a charity.^ Any one who is partially acquainted with the history of
the Waldenses, must be convinced, at once, that this Spiritual

which they ought

to

Almanac, as quoted by Perrin,

is

not a genuine an-

124

The Ancient Waldenses.

Waldensean document.
It bears

cient

own condemnation.
"word of

It should be

upon its face its remembered that the

ancient Waldenses held with death-like tenacity to the

God

alone as the rule of action in matters of re-

ligion; but these

riety,

Waldenses, of Spiritual- Almanac noto-

appeal to charity and the edification of the church and congregation as " the rule in this matter " of baptizing
infants!

Does any one suppose

for a

moment

that the

ancient witnesses of God, the Waldenses,

would deviate

from God's Avord and make a pseudo charity the rule of action ? No. This Almanac did not come from the ancient Waldenses.

But the apology of Paul Perrin

makes bad, worse; and

for

the Catholic charge against the Waldenses for rejecting

infant baptism, only
places the

Waldenses
if

in a very unenviable position, indeed.

it

And

would be hard enough even for the Pedobaptists modern to claim affinity with the Waldenses He says " True it is, that, being for some hunat all.
he
is

correct,

dreds of years constrained to suffer their

W?!^

28*

children to be baptized by the

priests,

Romish
it

they deferred the doing of

as

long as possible, because they detested the human inventions annexed to the institution of that Holy Sacrament,

which they looked upon as pollutions of

tors,

it.

Their pasin

whom

they called barbes, being

often

travels

abroad, for the service of their churches, they could not

have baptism administered to their children by their own They, therefore, sometimes kept them long ministry. without baptism, upon which delay the priests charged

them with that reproach.

versaries

To

which, not only their ad-

have given credit, but many of those also who have approved of their lives and faith in all other points."

Ancient Waldenses baptists.

If any one fact in
versy,
it is

125

all

history

is

settled

beyond controordinances and'

the fact that the ancient Waldenses utterly aball

horred the Romish Church, with

worship, as the Apocalyptic

of

its

woman drunk

with the blood

of the saints.

And

it

was

for rejecting her

baptism and

fellowship that they suffered indescribable persecutions

and

afilictions for centuries.

They

stood as the witnesses

against Antichrist during the midnight of the world.

But

now some Pedobaptist historians have found a called Waldenses, who suffered their children
tized

class of soto

he bap-

by the Romish priests for hundreds of years together and this, they tell us, was because their pastors were often

abroad in
ters,

the service of their churches; therefore, as they could not get baptism from the hands of their own minis-

they carried their children to the Romish priests for

!

baptism

The Pedobaptists

are welcome to such an ancestry as

have, to avoid persecution, submitted to the most debas-

ing superstitions and idolatries of Antichrist.

But

these

were not the true Waldenses, who resisted Rome even to the shedding of their own blood. It is admitted that these
Calixtine Pedobaptist Waldenses existed in

Bohemia and

other places, even before the time of Luther.

is

And

this

the class of Waldenses that united with the Reformers

in the sixteenth century.

They not only submitted

to

Romish

infant baptism, but they committed the grossest

idolatry in going to the Catholic mass.

Of
:

modern Waldenses, Mr. Orchard remarks

promising Vaudois, with their remote ancestry

this class cf " These com-

and

proo^eny,

class 01 the evangelicals

form evidently the whose conduct is

This
is

^^o/-^^"'

an exact key

to Perrin's account.

supported by

126

Tlie

Ancient Waldenses,
when
the churches connected
loiih

tlieir

state in

1530,

George Moril to save themselves from Catholic rage, did go to mass in Provence, and pleaded it was no great harm,

Foi which prevarication and hypocrisy the reformer Oecolampadius rebukes them, and condemns the practice.'^ " Such were not witnesses of the truth. ^^ Even the learned Dr. Wall, after all of his efforts to find infant baptism among the ancient ' Waldenses, admits that in their older con_^_ p. 597. fessions the Waldenses say nothing about
provided their hearts were kept right with God.
'
'

infant baptism.

The reader

is

now

pretty well prepared to discriminate

between the ancient and modern Waldenses.

But

to re-

move

all

doubt upon

this subject,

we now
says
^'
:

introduce other

witnesses on this important question.

Mr. Robinson, the

Eoh:s Eccl Res.
^^^^

historian,

They

ancient

Waldenses) are also distinguished from ^^^^^^ Yaudois, and the reformed p. 4ol. \ churches, by not using any liturgy; by not compelling faith; by condemning parochial churches; by not taking oaths; by allowing every person, even women, to teach by not practicing infant baptism by not admitting godfathers; by rejecting all sacerdotal habits; by denying all ecclesiastical orders of priesthood, Papal and Episcopal; by not bearing arms, and by their abhor; ;

rence of every species of persecution.^^

How wide the ecclesiastical gulf between the ancient Waldenses who patiently suffered the loss of all things, even to life itself, rather than shed the blood of others and these modern Pedobaptist Waldenses, who established

themselves by cruel war and bloody revenge

Ancient Wcildenses

(Baptists.

127

In describing the modern Waldenses in

to establish themselves in the valleys, the
:

their struggles

American Sunday School Union testifies as follows " And what is still more lamentable, the Vaudois, having no JS^is- Wald.,A.JS. ^' n -x lor the security ot the means of providmg r jj
4.^

'

prisoners,
safety, to

were compelled, for their own

put to the sword every

man

that

fell

into their

hands/^

No

one

who

is

not prompted by sectarian motives, will

associate these warlike

Waldenses with the ancient

suffer-

ing witnesses for Christ, called Waldenses.

It
is

also a vrell

known
But

fact in history, that the ancient

Waldenses firmly
State
religion.
\V aldenses

resisted every

form of

these

Pedobaptist
into

^^Orch
g^

vol.

were incorporated

na-

jj

^ -^^

tional churches,

and

their ministers finally

were enrolled among the State clergy of the empire.

was about the year 1532 that the Pedobaptist AYaldenses, in connection with George Moril and Peter Masson, united w^ith the Reformers under Luther and Calvin. And this class of Waldenses were classed by the CathoThis union with the Reformers lics with the Lutherans. was effected through the instrumentality of OecolampaIt
dius.

Concerning the distinction between the ancient and modern AYaldenses, Mr. Benedict remarks: "For a number of the
first

centuries their discipline

^^^*
'^*
^'^^
''

partook of the freedom and simplicity of

the Baptists, and was more free as to the

teaching of females, and the brotherhood generally, than

many

of our churches would

now

admit.

By

degrees

they were moulded into Presbyterian measures, and in

128

The Ancient Waldenses.

them which
still

the end, that portion of

survived in the

ancient valleys, adopted in substance the Episcopal fornj

of church government/^

The author

edge remarks that

Rellgwi^Encyc.,

of the Encyclopedia of Religious Knowl" It is necessary here that we distin:

guish between the ancient and modern

^^y^i^^^^^^^

It appears, from all the ac-

counts

we

gather of them before the Re-

formation, that their principles and practice were more pure

and Scriptural than since that period/' Mr. Jones, as the special historian of the Waldenses, is In the preface to his still more explicit on this point. fifth London edition, Mr. Jones says, in reply to the complaint of Mr. Gilly, who found fault with Jones because he carried the history of the Waldenses no further than the year 1686: "This is certainly true; but my defense is an easy one my narrative stops where

Jones' Fifth Edi^y

the story ends.

.i

"

-r

I proiess to give the his-

.ii-

other places,

tory of the churches of Piedmont and commonly designated Waldenses and Albi-

genses, not of individuals ;

to

and as I consider those churches have been utterly dispersed and scattered by a series of persecutions which terminated in the year 1686, I consider myself to have brought the subject to its legitimate
close.

If

we

give credit to a host of writers belonging to

the

Church of England, the two witnesses of the Apocalypse (Rev. xi: 3, 4, etc.) were the two churches, or, to speak more properly, the two classes of churches, w^hich passed under the names of the Waldenses and Albigenses. * * * * Now, these two witnesses, after prophesying twelve hundred and sixty years in sackcloth, according to
the prophetic testimony, w^ere to be finally overcome and

Ancient V/aldenses
killed

(Baptists.

129

by the Beast that ascended out of the bottomless pit. (Rev. xi: 7.) This event I consider to have been consummated in the year 1686, and consequently as termMr. Jones further inatino^ the historv of the Waldenses.'^ remarks '^ But it may be asked, does not the page of
:

history record, that in the year 1689, about

J 1 i" irom nme hand red men proceeded the neighborhood of Geneva, equipjoed with
.

eiffht or
.

111

Jones^ Fifth JEdi^.

^r

-'-

tion, p. 9.

arms and ammunition^ re-entered their own country, drove away the new inhabitants, after many contests with their
enemies, obtained a reinstatement in their former possessions ?

Certainly ; there

is

no disposition

to

deny the

fact

but I beg leave to ask Mr. Gilly, and those

who

dwell

upon it, of what description of persons did this new race of Waldenses consist and are they prepared to show us a number of churches formed by them bearing any resemblance to those of the ancient Waldenses, which were dispersed by the armies of Louis XIV. and the Duke of Savoy? We are quite content to rest the issue of this inquiry on the testimony which is borne to the present state of the Vaudois, by our author, and the other members of the established church, compared w^ith the accounts w^hicli have been transmitted to us by friends and foes concerning their ancestors.^^ Again, after showing that the present inhabitants of the valleys sprinkled infants, Mr. Jones says of the ancient Waldenses, that they represent them-

selves thus

"
1
.

^We

believe that in the ordinance of bap-

tism,^ say they, the

,

water
1
.

is

^the visible
, ,

1 and external sign which represents to us that which, by virtue of God's invisible
1

Jones' Fifth Edi.

:-.

'operation,

is

within us

namely, the

renovation of our

minds, and the mortification of our members through

130
Jesus Christ.

The Ancient Waldenses. And by this ordinance we

are received into

the holy congregation of God's people, previously p7^ofess-

ing our faith and change of life J And, with regard to baptism of infants, they insist
upoi;
it

to be one of the leading features of Antichrist.

:

Their words are

faith,

He

teaches to baptize children into the

and

attributes to this the

work of

regeneration

thus confounding the work of the Holy Spirit, in regeneration,

with the external

''

rite

of baptism, and on this founall his

dation bestows orders, and indeed grounds

tianity.'

Chris-

And, on the same page, Mr. Jones concludes

thus
:

" Enough has surely been said to

present race of Protestant
n

Jones^ Fifth
tlOn, p.

Mi-

^^^^^^ ^j^^^ ^^^^

T^

11.

churches in Piedmont bear

affinity to the ancient

little

or no

Waldenses, either in their doctrinal

and external order, or their religious practices and it is an act of justice to the memory of these excellent people to rescue them from this unnatural alliance.'' And after thus showing that the ancient and modern Waldenses were totally different in their denominational character, Mr. Jones says of the former that " They brought up their chilJones^ Fifth Edi^ i? x-l -x^ "^ admonition ot the dren m the nurture and tion, p. 12. Lord but they neither sprinkled nor immersed them, under the notion of administering Christian
sentiments, their discipline
;
:
-i

.\

,.

baptism

they were, in a word, so

many

distinct churches

of Anti-pedobaptists."

Enough testimony has now been introduced to satisfy every unprejudiced mind that the modern Waldenses are
totally distinct, in their faith

and

practice,

from the ancient

Waldenses,

who were
by the

driven from the valleys of Piedrelentless cruelty of the

mont

in 1686,

army of

Ancient Waldenses
Louis

(Baptists.

131

XIV.

So,

when

the Baptists claim the Waldenses

as their ancestors, they do not refer to the present inhabit-

ants of the valleys, but to the original Waldenses,

who

dwelt in the valleys before the time of Luther's Eeformation.

The

present inhabitants

of these valleys, called

are a different race

Waldenses, are not Baptists.

valleys before the Reformation.
tists,

They

of Waldenses from the original witnesses

who dwelt

in the

Many modern Pedobaptheir

like the Pharisees in the time of Christ, build the

tomb of the Waldenses, though

them.

own

fathers killed

And

while they praise to the skies these noble

the same doctrine for which the

martyrs, they persecute to the extent of their power those

who now advocate

Wal-

denses suffered, bled, and died.

But, in order to stop the

mouth of every gainsayer, we here present a few other witnesses in vindication of the Waldenses from the charge Mr. Benedict says " I of Pedobaptism. nave said that, irom very early times, up
:

to the fifteenth century, the Baptist, or, at least, the Anti-

pedobaptist character of a multitude of that great

nity

commu-

which passed under the general name of Waldenses

and Albigenses, is very strongly developed; it is indicated by the canons, decrees, and anathemas of so many councils by the statutes of so many states and governments and the impeachments and complaints of so many old writers on the Pedobaptist side, that a man of but a moderate share of ecclesiastical knowledge must make a judy of himself to deny it, or prove himself an unfair historian
;

if

he attempts to conceal

it."
:

Again, Dr. Wall, the learned

"

Episcopalian, admits that

writers of that time,

The Popish

jii^t. Inf.

Bapt.,

who

wrote against

p. 596.

them

[the Waldenses],

some of which do plainly and

132

TJie J.:icidnt

Waldenses.

some of them with denymg it" infant a conceded fact, by all candid historians, that the Roman Catholics not only accused the Waldenses of neglecting infant baptism, but they waged constant persecution against them, in order to force them to baptize their infants. This would not have been the case had the Waldenses been Pedobaptists. In regard to this persecution against the AYaldenses, to force them to baptize " On the 31st children, Mr. Jones says of January, 1686, they were amazed at .^Q the publication of an order from the
fully charge

baptism.

It

is

*'

Duke

of Savoy, forbidding his subjects the exercise of the

;

Protestant religion upon pain of death

the confiscation
;

of their goods

the demolition of their churches

and the

banishment of their pastors.

All infants born from that

time were to be baptized and brought up in the

Poman

Catholic religion, under the penalty of their fathers being

condemned to the galleys.'^ We here insert the language of Victor Amadeus, the Duke of Savoy, in his cruel edict These are his own words ^^ And against the Waldenses.
:

concerning the children that shall be born

^
^^

aTs

'

^y ^^ther and mother of the said pretended Peformed religion, our intention is that,
bap-

after the publishing this present edict, they shall be

tized

by the

priests of the parish that are already, or that

shall be, established for the future in the said valleys

to this purpose

we command
them

their fathers

and mothers

to send or bring

to the churches,

being sent five years to the galleys for

under pain of their fathers, and

whipping
tolic,

for

their

mothers; and, moreover, the said

children shall be brought

up

in the said Catholic,

Apos-

and Poman

religion.

And we command

expressly

Ancient Wakienses
all

(Baptists.

133

judges,

bailiffs, goalers,

and other

officers, to see

these

presents duly executed.'^

If the Waldenses had been sound Pedobaptists, where would have been the necessity of publicly whipping the \Yaldensean mothers, sending the fathers to hard labor in prison, and taking their children away from them in order to baptize and raise them in the Catholic religion The ancient Waldenses were not Pedobaptists and they are
!

grossly misrepresented

when accused of

infant baptism.
^'
:

Mr. Orchard, the

cestors

historian, testifies as follows

The an^-^
*

of the Waldenses, were termed

Paterines,
Lyonists,
'

Vaudois, Puritans,

^*'

^f

Petrobrusians, ArnoldiHtSy Berengarians

these,

with the Paulicians, were one and the same peo-

ple; and, so far as information can be obtained, were all

Anti-pedobaptists, which has been previously proved in

their respective sections.

These

all

agreed in one article

of discipline

they re-baptized all such as came into their communion from the Catholic Church; hence were called
Anabaptists.^^

In

fact, it

was the universal complaint of

the Catholics against the Waldenses that they neglected

the baptism of infants.

sius,

" Cardinal Hosof Trent,

' "^

who presided at the Council

^ ^^

^^''
*

and wrote a history of the heresy of his own times, says, the Waldenses rejected infant baptism, and re-baptized all who embraced their sentiments.'^ Mr. Orchard closes his testimony upon this point in the following language " Amidst all the proOrch. Bapt. His., 1 ,. T p r 1 r ductions of early writers, friends and foes, ^g^^ ^^^ j confessors of the whole truth and opposers of it, annalists, historians, recorders, inquisitors, and others, with the labored researches of Usher, Newton,
:

.,

134

Tiie

Ancient V/aldenses.

Allix, Collier, "Wall, Perrin," Leger, Moreland, Mosheim,

Macleane, Gilly, Sims, and others all of the Pedobaptist

persuasion,
Avitli

every advantage of learning on their side,

who

collated councils, canons, synods, conferences, chroni-

cles, decrees, bulls,

sermons, homilies, confessions, creeds,

from the private creed of Irenseus down to the rules of Augsburg; Avho examined documents at home,
liturgies, etc.,

and explored

territories abroad,

their united labors could

never produce a single dated document or testimony

of Pedobaptism

among

the Vaudois, separate from the

Komish community, from Novatian's rupture to the death

of the execrable monster, Alexander VI., 1503.^'
It
is

said that in the

mouth of two

or three y/itnesses

every word shall be established; and from the testimony

of friends
tve

and

foes, Baptists, Protestants

and

Catholics,

have proved that the ancient Waldenses luere Anti-

pedohaptists.

With such mountains

of testimony rising

up before

this point; for

on he that will not be convinced by the testimony already adduced, that the original Waldenses did
us, it is useless to introduce other witnesses

not baptize infants, need not be argued with; for such are

given over to prejudice and blindness of heart.

In

as-

cending the stream of history

we have

discovered that

the ancient Waldenses are the real ancestors of the

tist

denomination of the present day.

the accommodation of those

who

are

BapBut we will, for weak in the faith,

introduce other witnesses on this point.

All, who possess even a moderate share of historic knowledge, must admit that every Pedobaptist confession

of faith, ancient or modern, teaches, directly and

lively, the

pjosi-

doctrine of infant baptism.

Ancient Waldenses

baptists.

135

We

now

proceed to examine the ancient Waldensean

refer the reader to

confessions on this subject.

an ancient Waldensean by Jones the historian, and also found in Perrin and others. In this confession, article twelfth, the a ncient Waldenses say " We consider the sacraments as sims of holy thin2;s, or as "^^^ff! ^^' ^^^' P* ^^^5 see also, 11 -11 ^1 ^^ 11 rthe visible emblems oi invisible blessings, perrin chap. 12. We regard it as proper and even necessary that believers use these symbols or visible forms when it can be done. Notwithstanding which, we maintain that
First:
confession^ as given
:

We

believers

may be saved without these signs, when they have neither place nor opportunity to observe them.^^ This ancient Waldensean confession contains not even
It refers alone

the slightest intimation of infant baptism.

to the

baptism of

believers.

It

is,

therefore,
is

an Anti-

pedobaptist confession.
all

This confession

admitted by

to be

an ancient document, written about the year

eleven

hundred and twenty.

of the twelfth

Second: Mr. Jones gives another ancient AValdensean

confession

century;

and
^49
*

while

it

speaks of baptism and the Lord's

it

'

Supper,
baptism.

has not one word about infant

Third : In another ancient confession of the Waldenses,

we have
'

the seventh article j as follows

^^''
'^^'^/f'

"

We

believe that in the ordinance of bap,

t]sm the water

sign

.1 is the visible
.

^'-

.,

and external

p.

251; see also, p^^y^in chap. 12.

which represents to us that which, by virtue of God's invisible operation, is within us; namely, the renovation of our minds and the mortificaAnd by tion of our members, through Jesus Christ.

136

The Ancient Waldenses,

we
are received into the holy congrega-

this ordinance

tion of God's people, previously professing

and declaring

our faith and change of

emphatically
state, that

life."

Is this a Pedobaptist confession?

These Waldenses

by

this

ordinance (baptism) we are

received into the holy congregation of God^s people,

pre-

viously PROFESSING AND DECLARING OUR FAITH AND CHANGE OF LIFE. Can little infants profess faith and a change of life before

baptism?

Will Drs. Miller and Eice claim

It

this as a

Pedobaptist confession of faith?

fession.

would be quite

as

easy to find infant baj)tism in the Bible as in this con-

It should be

remembered that Dr. Wall, the champion

of infant baptism, admits that the ancient Waldensean

confessions say nothing of infant baptism.
It
is

worthy of remark, that

in the catechism of the

is

ancient Waldenses for the instruction of youth, nothing

said of infant baptism, though the church

and

its

ordi-

nances are referred

to.

Who

ever heard of a Pedobaptist

catechism which leaves out infant baptism?

There

is

no

such catechism in existence.

Another ancient Waldensean document is called the Noble Lesson." It was Avritten in the original WaldenThis docu-. sean language, and dated in the year 1100. ment is appealed to by all historians as an authentic Waldensean production. It exhibits the purity of the doctrine of the Waldenses in contrast with the corrup^'

Infant baptism can not be found in the tions of Eome. Noble Lessons. In regard to the ministry of the apostles, the Noble Lessons says: ^^And they [the apostles]
pa-oclaimed without fear the doctrine of Christ, preaching

Ancient Waldenses
to

(Baptists.

137

Jews and Greeks, and working many miracles.

And
*'
'

tluy baptized the believers in the

Jesus Christ.
pie of

name of
'r,

Then

there became a peo-

new

converts,

and they were called

Christians because they trusted in Christ."

Yes;

this

the Bible from which

Noble Lesson of the ancient Waldenses, like it was drawn, teaches the baptism
It

of believers only.

knows nothing of

infant baptism.

And

yet

we

are told that the ancient Waldenses were

Pedobaptists

Once more, we call attention to the ancient Waldensean document called " A Treatise concerning Antichrist," etc. This treatise, or work on Antichrist, bears date, A. D.
1120, which
is

nearly half a century before the time of

Peter Waldo. In describing Antichrist, this work says " He teaches to baptize children into the
faith,

and

attributes to this the

regeneration,

work of thus confounding the work

^^'\'!'

^^' ^"^'^

of the Holy Spirit in regeneration with the external

indeed, grounds all his Christianity."

rite

of baptism, and on this foundation bestows orders, and,

Antichrist.

Reader, take notice; the Waldenses are here describing And as one work of Antichrist by which he
be identified, they say that he teaches
to this the
to

may

baptize chil-

dren into the faith, and attributes

fant

work of regentv/o

eration; thus exhibiting the fact that they considered in-

baptism and baptismal regeneration (which

are so neai ly allied to each other) as the

christ

a mark of the Beast.

work of Anti-

138

The Ancient Waldenses.

Section IY.

Origin

of the waldenses.
its

Tn tracing the stream of Baptist history to

fountain-

head we have, with Mosheim, followed

it

into the remote

depths of antiquity, and found the ancient AYaldenses, environed with the snow-clad Alps, contending for the same
faith

and

practice,

and suffering
Baptists.

for the

same principles

have now reached an age of the world centuries before the modern sects had a being on the earth. Episcopalianism, Lutheranism, Calvinism, Methodism, and Campbellism, with every other

now advocated by

We

ism of modern date, were

;

unknown

to these early ages of

trial and while the gloomy darkness of Romanism overshadowed our sin-smitten world, these ancient Waldenses were the unwavering witnesses for the truth of Christ, and stood as the light of the world through this long and gloomy period of moral darkness. But where did these Waldenses originate? We have already seen that they did not commence with Peter Waldus, but, long before the time' of Peter's separation from Pome, we find them battling for the same glorious truths of the Gospel of Christ for which they suffered in after times. Peter, instead of originating the Waldenses, joined them and received his name Waldus, or Waldensis, from them. It has already been observed that the term Albigenses is only another name for the same class of persons called Yv^aldenses. While the Waldenses inhabited the valleys of

of France.

Piedmont, the Albigenses dwelt in the southern provincca But where did they originate? Shall we ask
they

the bleeding Waldenses themselves from whence

came ?
to

In

their petition to the

Duke

of Savoy for liberty

worship

God without

molestation,

"They

implored

Origin of V.w Wald.nses.

tiis

139

highness to consider that their religious profession

was not a thing of yesterday, as their ad^^'' ^^^' versaries falsely reported; but had been 'f ^'^^ the profession of their fathers, grandfathers, and great-grandfathers; yea, of their predecessors of still more ancient times, even of the martyrs, confessors, apostles, and prophets and they called upon their
;

adversaries to prove the contrary, if they were

able.^^

These persecuted martyrs of Christ claimed that their

profession

was handed down

to

to

them from

apostolic times.

And,
flicts

as all denominations are allowed to give their

own
con-

history,

which ought

be taken as correct, unless

it

with

known

facts,

Avhy not respect the statements of

these witnesses of Jesus?

But

this claim of the AValdenses

facts
;

does not conflict with any

known

therefore, their

testimony

is

valid,

and must not be despised.

Men who
own
his-

suffered, as did the ancient

Waldenses, for the truth, would

not knowingly utter falsehood in regard to their

tory.

But if they did not descend from the apostolic age, they knew it, and are, therefore, liable to the charge of
This can not be; then this statement of the
is

falsehood.

Waldenses
says

true.

In regard

to the rise of the

Waldenses,

the celebrated Theodore Beza, the successor of Calvin,

:

"As
'

for the

Waldenses, I
1

may

be permitted to call
Jones'

them the very seed of the primitive and , /^i xi purer rw Christian Church, smce they are
those that have been upheld, as
is

Ch. His..

^^q

abund-

antly manifest, by the wonderful providence of God, so

that neither those endless storms and tempests

by which

the whole Christian world has been shaken for so

many

succeeding ages, and the western parts at length, so miserably oppressed by the Bishop of

Rome

falsely so called,

140

TJie

Ancient Waldenses.

nor those horrible persecutions which have been expressly

raised against them, were ever able so far to prevail as to

make them bend,

or yield a voluntary subjection to the

idolatry."

Roman tyranny and

^^On another occasion the same writer remarks, that Hhe Waldenses, time out of mind, have
Jones^^ Ch. His.,

^^^^^gg j ^j^^ ^l^.^s^s ^f the

Church of Rome,
s ich

and have been persecuted after

manner, not by the sword of the word of God, but by every species of cruelty, added to a million of calumnies

and

false accusations, that

they have been compelled to

disperse

themselves

wdierever
like

they

could,

wandering

through the deserts

theless, has so

wild beasts.

The Lord, neverstill

preserved the residue of them, that, notin-

withstanding the rage of the w^hole world, they

viz: Calabria,

habit three countries, at a great distance from each other,

Bohemia, and Piedmont, and the countries adjoining, where they dispersed themselves from the quarters of Provence about two hundred and seventy years
ago.

And

as to their religion, they nevfer adhered to

Pa-

pal superstition, for which reason they have been continually harrassed,

by the bishops and

inquisitors abusing the

arm of

secular justice, so that their continuance to the

is

present time

evidently miraculous.^

^^

Yes

these

2)rimiiive church,

Waldensean Baptists w^ere the seed of the and upheld by the wonderful providence

of God, so that those endless storms and tempests lohich

shook the whole Christian world for ages failed to shake the courageous Waldenses. And all the fearful persecuattended by* every engine of fiendish cruelty, and with a million of false accusations, failed to make these
tions,

ancient Baptists bow

to the

Romish Beast. They wandered

Origin o

'

the

IValdenses.

141

in the deserts like ivild beasts of the forest,

and

there en-

dured the pelting storms, as

dently miraculous.

loell

as the rage of the whole

the present time is

world; and their preservation

to

em-

No wonder
But

that the

modern

sects are

so anxious to claim connection with this noble

army of

witnesses for Jesus.

these ancient Waldenses were

incurable " Anabaptists/^

mark

of the Beast.

who despised infant baptism as They were Baptists in faith and

and

practice,

who had
But

their origin in the time of Christ

let

us hear the poet Milton in regard the origin of these people. He says " Hence the most to
the apostles.
:

ancient

Reformed churches of the Wal'

denses, if they rather continued not pure

since the apostles' days, denied that tithes

'"'

^^

were

to

be given, or that they were ever given in the

primitive church, as appears by an ancient tractate inserted in the

Bohemian
all

history.^'

As

churches, they con-

tinued pure from

apostolic age.

the corruptions of

Eome

from the

Oliver Cromwell says, in his letter to the " Next to the help of God, it seems to Swiss Cantons
:

devolve on you to provide that the most

ancient stock oj pure religion
. ,

7'

may
its

not be
ancient

,1

Jones'

Ch. His.,

destroyed in this remnant of

faithful professors,

whose

safety,

reduced as

it

now

is

to

the extremity of hazard, if you neglect, beware that the

next

lot

do not speedily

fall

upon yourselves

'^
!

In

this letter of the Dictator of

England

to the Princes

of Switzerland in behalf of the suffering Waldenses,

who

were being hunted down and slain as the beasts of the

field,

he truly calls them the most ancient stock of pure religion. The Swiss ambassadors who were sent to examine the sit-

142

Tiie

Ancient Waldenses.
:

uation of the AValdenscs, report as follows

Jones'
,,.-,

^^

The inhabj.

Ch. His.,
'

bv the * ^^\ i* j.i td ^\ \ concessions oi their Frinces, the liberty to

.
. ,

itants of the vallevs did not hold,

,

p. iSyi.

exercise in public their religion

it

...

because

was established in this country above eight centuries ago; and that they enjoyed this right kng before they were the subjects of his royal highness' ancestors, insomuch that, having never been of the same religion as their
Prince,
it

could not be said that they had abandoned

it."

it,

nor he oblige them to return to

This carries the history of the Waldenses

in the valleys

back

to a period long before the time of Peter

Waldo

and

it

further shows that they were never of the same re-

ligion as the Catholics,

In regard

to the origin of the

Waldenses, Orchard says

sup-

^'The orthodoxy of the Xovatian party, with the influence of some of their ministers,
pp. 0/, 08.
is
'^''

^^_L ?f

'

posed to have procured some mitio-ation of ^ ^

,

.*

the law. ures prompted

retire into

Constantine's oppressive meas-

many

to leave the scene of sufferings,

spots.

and

more sequestered

Claudius Seyssel, the

popish archbishop, traces the rise of the Waldenseaii heresy

to a pastor
valleys.''

named Leo, leaving Rome at this period for the The Novatians were persecuted by Constantine,
unite church and state;
left

the

first to

and numbers of these

persecuted Xovatians

Italy for the valleys of Pied;

mont at different times from about the year 325 to 425 and these wandering Xovatians were in after times called Waldenses. It then appears that the Waldenses sprang from the Xovatians who fled from Italy in the fourth century. Again, Mr. Orchard says, upon this subject, that " Echbertus and Emericus^ tAVO avowedly and bitter ene-

Origin of the Waldenses.

lilies

143

of the Waldenses, do assert, that the

Orch. Bapt. His.y

P- ^58.
{i. e.,

new Puritans (Waldenses) do conform to '^^^ ^? the doctrines and manner of the old Puritans
Novatians)/^

the

This shows, by the acknowledgment of

Pedobaptists themselves, that the AValdenses descended

from the Novatians.

413.

And Orchard

fixes the

time of the

general dispersion or flight of the Novatians at the year

terines,

These early Waldenses were frequently called Pabut we prefer using the term Waldenses, to avoid

the

confusion arising from the use of so

many names.

Again, Mr. Orchard says, speaking of the persecutions

against the Waldenses by the emperors Theodosius and Honorius, that: " The edict was probably obtained by the
influence of Augustine,

who

could endure

no

rival,

nor would he bear with any

rites,

who

'^!'

^^^
'

^'^

questioned the virtue of his

or the

sanctity of his brethren, or the soundness of the Catholic

creed
ists

and these points being disputed by the Novatianand Donatists, two powerful and extensive bodies of dissidents in Italy and Africa, they were consequently
;

made

to feel the weight of his influence. These combined modes of oppression led the faithful to abandon the cities and seek retreats in the country, which they did, particu-

larly in the valleys of

Piedmont, the inhabitants of whicli

began to be called W^aldenses." The laws of the fourth Lateran council, with the edicts of the emperors of the East and West, were leveled against the Novatians and
Donatists,

condemning
death.

all

the re-baptized and the re-hap-

tizers to suffer

This caused

many

of them to

flee

into the wilderness, to the valleys prepared for their recep-

tion

Thus we have the connection

where they soon acquired the name of the Waldenses. clearly made out between

144

Tlie

Ancient Woildenses.
AYe will now

the ancient Waldenses and the Novatians.

introduce the testimony of the learned editor of the

cyclopedia of Religious knowledge.
^^It

En-

He
.,

remarks that
r.

seems to be a serious mistake, into

i i
.

^^ which some popular writers have lallen, ^ ^ p. 114v. wdio represent the Waldenses as originatino; in France about the year 1170, and derivins; their name from the celebrated Peter Waldo. The evidence is now ample, that so far from being a new sect at that period, they had existed under various names, as a distinct class of dissenters from the established churches of Greece and Rome in the earliest ages. It is an egregious error to suppose that when Christianity was taken into alliance with the state, by the Emperor Constantine, in
-^
'
.

ReUqious Encyc, ^;._

the beginning of the fourth century, all the

orthodox

churches were so ignorant of the genius of their religion as

to consent to the corruption of a worldly establishment.'^

This author traces the Waklenses back through the Novatians to the apostolic
age, or "earliest
ages.'^

This

takes our history back prior to the time of the adulterous

union of church and state by Constantine; and shows

clearly that the

Waldenses were

in existence

under vari-

ous names up to the times of the apostles.

Crantz, in his history, dates the origin of the Waldenses
in the beginning of the fourth century, at

which time some

Again,
it is
:

of the Novatians settled

in the valleys.

said

by Mr. Brown, the editor of the Encyclopedia, that

Rdigious Encyc.,
^.^.:^^^^^^

" The

Cathari, or Puritan churches of the

^^^^
^^^^

No-

^^

that very

period,

(about A. D. 325) been flourishing as a

distinct

communion

for

more than seventy years

all

over

the empire; maintaining, by the acknowledgment even of

'Origin of the
their enemies^ the self-styled

V/aldenses.

145

Catholics, the inlegrity of

the true faith, together with the purity of discipline and

the

power of godliness which had generally disappeared

from the Catholic churches. These Puritans being exposed to severe and sanguinary persecutions for dissent, from age to age, were compelled to shelter themselves from
the desolating storm in retirement ; and when, at intervals,
fcliey

re-appear on the page of cotemporary history, and

their principles are propagated wdth

success, they are styled a

new boldness and and receive a new name, though, in reality, they are the same people." This shows that the same people called Novatians in Rome and Italy, were called Waldenses in the valleys of Piedmont and also by a variety of other names in different ages and new
sect,

countries.

Saccho, the inquisitor, admits that the

Wal-

denses flourished five hundred years before the time of

Waldo.

The Waldenses themselves claim

and
efficacy

that:

"Their
^^<^(^->

doctrine and discipline

in all its purity

had been preserved from the days

Vfls"^

of the primitive martyrs, in Spain, France,

Germany, Italy, and especially in the valleys of Piedmont." Here the suffering Waldenses claim an existence
from the time of the "primitive martyrs," or the apostolic
dge.

In

fact,

the historic connection between the Waldenses

jind the Novatians, their ancestors, is so strongly devel-

oped that we can trace the emigration of a whole Xovatian church from Milan into the valleys of Piedmont, where
they were afterward called Waldenses. It is stated in the Encyclopedia, that " The learned Dr. Allix, in his ^ His:

tory of the Churches of Piedmont,' gives

iiis

EeHgious Encyc.
p. 114S.

account: 'That, for three hundred

14G

The Ancient Waldenses.

Rome
attempted to subjugate

years or niore. the Bishop of

tlie

Church of Milan under his jurisdiction; and at last the interest of Rome grew too potent for the Church of Milan, planted by one of the disciples ; insomuch that the bishop and people, rather than own their jurisdiction, retired to the valleys of Lucerne and Angrogna, and thence
were called Vallences, WaUenseSj or the 2')eoplG of the valThus, as it was in the planting of the early leys.'' " churches in America, so with those of the valleys of Piedmont a whole church emigrated together, bearing those

eternal principles

which lighted up the Alpine valleys

for

twelve hundred and sixty years.

the Waldenses were the true

Edwards contends that Church which fled into the

wilderness from the face of the Apocalyptical Dragon, as

described in the twelfth chapter of Revelations.

We have
testi-

the most overwhelming proof that the ancient Waldenses

descended from the Novatian churches which bore

mony

against the corruptions of the so-called Catholic

fifth centuries.

party in the third, fourth, and

Turin was the founder of the Waldensean churches. On this point, the ^^ American Sunday School Union" remarks: "Although we have stated, in the former
Z'!*^

It has been erroneously supposed that Claudius of

^l^

'

'

chapter, that Claudius of Turin has been

styled

the founder
is

of

the Waldensean

more Leger begins his history of the Churches of the Vaudois by a declaration that, ^they never required any
churches, their origin
to be traced to a period still

remote.

reformation.^

For the
is

first

four or five centuries, the

termed the diocese of the north of Italy, of which the Waldenses formed a part, remained comparatively pure.'^ Yes; it is a historic fact that the an-

whole of what

Origin of the Waldenses.

cient

147

ation of that term.

lives, as

Waldenses were not reformers, in the modern acceptWe all need to reform and amend onr
individuals
;

but Jesus Christ did not establish

his

Church on such a sandy foundation as to need the aid The Waldenses, instead of human wisdom to reform it.

of claiming to be a reformation from Popery, claim to be

the bride of Christ, which fled into the wilderness from

Mr. Eobinson, the historian, the face of the dragon. " Let it not seem romantic if we says
:

suppose that [the] Waldenses, who, we

"

"

*'

know, studied the Revelation

thought themselves directed to
sequestered places
;

of John,

for,

by the
fled

he had said

^The woman

by God himself to Testament prophet, into the wilderness, where

retire

New

she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed

her there a thousand two hundred and three-score days.' If the Waldenses had sprung either from
Catholics, they

'^

Waldo

or the

mu^t have known

it.

But they boldly

claim to be more ancient than the Catholics

ants of the apostolic churches.

the descend:

them by Monastier, the

And historian. He
I,
1

this is claimed for

claims that
xi

"

The

Vaudois Church
them
,1
r^-i

is
1

a link that unites

n X

[the evangelical churches]

to
it,

the

Monastier^ s His. , ^ ^,

primitive church.

By means

of

they

establish the anterior existence of their constitution, doctrine,

and worship,

to that of the papistical idolatries

and

errors.'^

Dr. Alexis Muston bears testimony, as follows

"

Thf
the

Vaud(^is (Waldenses) of the Alps

are, in
1

our view, primitive r^\ Christians, or inherit

,.

,'

-J.

The Israel of -'

,

ors of the primitive church,

...

Alps, p.

1.

who have been

preserved in these valleys from the alterations successively

148

The Arxlent IVaUenses.

Rome
into the evangelical

introduced by the Church of

worship.
It
is

not they

who

separated from Catholicism

but Catholicism which separated from them, in modifying

the primitive worship."

And Mr.

Jones says that

quisitor,

''
:

Reinerius Saccho, an ini

and one of their most implacable Jones Ch. Jdis., t i ri. enemies, who iived only eighty years alter 2^ Waldo, admits that the Waldenses flourished five hundred years before that preacher." It is customary for modern writers to call the Waldenses Protestants, which is a misnomer. The term Protestants was applied to the refoi-mers of the sixteenth century, who protested against the corruptions of Rome, and forsook her communion. It is, therefore, wrong to give the name Protestants to those who were never connected in any way with the Catholic Church. On this ^^ I call subject. Dr. Symmons remarks
i

j.

'

p. 3iO, note.

0--

'

*'

them, as they are called in these

.

official

-^

by the generally-known name of Protestants ; but the dissenters from the Papal Church, who occupied the valleys of Piedmont, had neither connection nor a common origin with those who were properly called Protestants from one of the first acts of their association in Germany. The lYaldenses asserted a much more ancient p'^digree, and assumed to be of the old Roman Church before it was corrupted by the papa]
dispatches,

innovations."

Again
menius,

the apostolic origin of the Waldenses

is

dis-

tinctly stated, as

maintained by themselves, by

Com-

who

published the Discipline of the Churches of

Bohemia in 1644. In the year 1457, a company of the Bohemian Hussites separated themselves from the Calix-

Origin of the Waldenses.

tines
;

149

and

in

order to procure a regular ministry they

tcj

sent three of their pastors to the regular Waldenses

obtain ordination.

And

they received instruction and

ordination from Stephen, a Waldensean pastor, assisted by

other ministers.

In upon
zeal,

his report of this affair,

all

Comraenius says

" Where-

those

who were

yet left of Huss^

/";^
;

beinofollowers, ^ ^

inflamed with a divine

Piedmont,

p. 364.

'oJf

took courage, and separating them-

selves

from the Calixtines, or pretended Hussites,

in the

year 1457, they happily set up distinct meetings in several

places, supported only

by the Divine
a
little

assistance, as also a

distinct consistory

for,

before those times,

part of the Waldenses being driven out of France,

some came

and

settled themselves in the confines of Austria, with

one or two of their Bishojjs, to

sent deputies,

whom

these

Bohemians
;

who

declared to them their intention

de-

and a Christian union with them the Waldenses, on the other hand, commending their purpose, advised them, that if they desired to have those assemblies that embraced the pure doctrine of the Gospel to be preserved from being dissipated, they ought to take Wherefore that they care never to want faithful pastors. ought not to expect til some who had their ordination from Kome should, by their love to truth, be brought over to them, who might ordain pastors for them, but rather ordain them themselves, as occasion should offer.
siring their counsel,
^

And

forasmuch as the said Waldenses declared that they

had lawful Bishops among them, and a lawful and uniri^ terrupted succession from the apostles themselves, they very
solemnly created three of our ministers bishops, conferring

upon them the power of ordaining

ministers,

though they

150

Tlie J.nc:ent

Waldeizses.

did not think

fit

to take

upon them the name of bishops,

of elder s^

beeause of the anti-christian abuse of that name, contenting

themselves with the

name

Thus we

see

that the ancient AYaldenses claimed a

LAWFUL AND UXINTEREUPTED

SUCCESSION FROM THE

APOSTLES THEMSELVES. How Contemptible the sectarian hate that would originate the Waldenses with Rome and thereby accuse them of falsehood in claiming an apostolic
!

origin.

In answer

to the charge of some, that they originated

^'
:

with Peter Waldo, Dr. Allix remarks

I may, once for
AlUx's
Clis.

Wherefore that

all,

clear this matter, I

Piedmont,

p.

19

of ^

say, first, that it is absolutely false, that

ter

Waldo.

by PeLet them show us any author of that time

these churches were ever founded

who

asserts that Peter

Waldo

ever preached in the dio-

cese of Italy, or that he founded

any church

there.

Let Those

them produce any sure

tradition of that people referring

the original of their churches to Peter Waldo.

who wrote

at that time do not tell us anything like this,

no more than they who lived after. W^herefore we must needs conclude it a pure forgery to look upon Waldo as the person who first brought the Reformation into Italy

we now

find there.

I own, indeed, that Peter Waldo's

taking care to have the Holy Scriptures translated into the

vulgar tongue, the churches of Italy reaped

much

benefit

day some old copies in the library of the University of Cambridge. But this does not, in the least, infer that Waldo ought to be
to this

from that version, whereof we have

considered as the founder of them.

I say, further, that

by the acknowledgment of the enemies themselves of the

Waldenses,
it is

absolutely false that these churches are of

Origin of the Waldenses.

no older standing than Peter Waldo. For
middle of the thirteenth century. knowledgeth ' that the heresy he
sayeth he (chap. 4),
is
'

151

this

we have

the

confession of Reinerius, an inquisitor, ^Yho lived before the

He
calls

ingenuously ac-

Vaudois, or poor

people nf Lyons, was of great antiquity.

Among all

sects/

that either are, or have been, there

none more dangerous to the Church than that of the

Leonists,
it is

and that

for three reasons

is

The

first is,

because
;

the sect that

of the longest standing of any

for

some say it hath been continued down ever since the time of Pope Sylvester, and others, ever since that of the apostles. The second is, because it is the most general of all sects for scarcely is there any country to be found where this
sect

hath not spread

itself.'

'^

Once more, the Waldensean claim

found in the preface of
preface to the

to apostolic origin is

their' translation
:

of the Bible, as
*^^^^^^^^
,.

given by D'Anvers, as follows

" In the
first

French Bible, and the

'
.

^P'

twn,

p. 341.

'that ever

was printed, they say that they

full

have always had the

contained in the

enjoyment of that heavenly truth

apostles themselves, having,

Holy

Scriptures, ever since they were en-

riched with the same

by the

in fair manuscripts, preserved the entire Bible in their

native tongue, from

generation to generation.

Mori.

Hist,

p. 14.^'

historic facts stated

Waldensean record we have two very important first, that the Waldenses claimed a and second, that regular succession from the apostles
In
this
:

they preserved the entire Bible, in manuscripts,

all

the time

from the apostolic age.

What now becomes

it

of the prefor

sumptuous claim of Komanists, that if tliem the Bible would have been lost?

had not been

152

The Ancient Waldenses.

we have followed

Starting in America, in the year 1870,

the chain of Baptist history back through the persecutions

the planting of the shores of

endured by them in Virginia and Massachusetts, to American colonies; and from the

America we have traced the same chain unbroken, across the waves of the mighty Atlantic, to England and Wales, where our fathers bore noble testimony to Baptist principles under the bloody reigns of the British monarchs who swayed the scepters of both church and state and from thence we have followed the same chain of succession to Holland, where Richard Blunt received baptism from the pastor of a church whose descent was from the ancient Waldenses and still following up this succession, from the Netherlands back into Germany, beyond the dawn of the Reformation of the sixteenth century, where the ancient Waldensean Baptists were found all alone
;

battling,

with Spartan valor, against the over-mastering

;

tide of

Popish usurpations

and,

still

ascending the same

historic stream,

we reach

the poetic valleys of Piedmont,

where the

altar-fires

of our holy religion burned with un-

dimmed

luster during the dreary period of twelve

hun-

dred and sixty prophetic days.

Surrounded by these mountain bulwarks, these faithful witnesses of Jesus raised their songs of high-sounding praises to their Redeemer, and preached in rustic strains that same glad-tiding which was announced by the angels to the affrighted shepherds of Bethlehem's plains. And from these soul-enrapturing scenes in the Alpine valleys, we have still ascended within the very shadow of the apostolic age, back to the classic ground of Roman eloquence where the Novatians raised the standard of protest and bore aloft the banner of Jesus Christ against the

Origin of the Waldcnses.

usurpations of the rising Papacy.

153

Here we behold the and unyielding Novatians^ who are the real ancestors of the Baptists, clothed in the heavenly armor and battling against the heathen world long before the haughty pontiff of Rome had usurped the seat and authority of Almighty God, and hurled his thundering anathemas from the seven-hilled city against the trembling nations of earth. Here, I say, we find ourselves connected, by
stern

the chain of historic succession, to the ancient Novatians

who boldly
But
shall

resisted

the

advances of Antichrist toward

the dominion of the world.

we

stop here, without learning the origin of

the Baptists?

No;

let

us penetrate into the

still

more

'^remote depths of antiquity,'^ until

we

shall reach the

fountain-head of this healing stream, which has watered

the earth for more than eighteen hundred years.

But
is

wdiere did the Novatians originate?

The answer

found in the next chapter.

lo4

The

J\lova:iai:s.

CHAPTER
1.

YII.

THE NOVATIANS.
The Churches called "Novatiax Churches" did noi Originate with Novatian. The Origix of the Novatiaks.
I.

"l

Sectiox

The churches called

^^

"

xoyatian

CHURCHES

DID NOT ORIGINATE WITH XOVATIAX^

deceive you by any means: for that clay

"Let no man
2 Thess.

sliall

2:3.

not come, exceut there come a ' ^

^ iirst,

fallino;
,

away

and that

man
his

,.

oi

sm

be re-

vealed, the son of perdition."

The mystery

of iniquity

had begun

work of death

even in the time of Paul's ministry.

Corruptions were

introduced into the early churches at a very early period.

This was in fulfillment of predictions of Christ and the

apostles,

that false prophets should

if possible,

arise

and

deceive
that

many, and,
Christ,

deceive the very elect.

And

grievous wolves will appear

and that

among the flock, or Church of even church members would arise speakHisto-

ing perverse things to draw disciples after them.

rians

and theologians have been accustomed to appeal to the practice of the Christians of the second and third centuries, as of almost equal authority with the word of God This is the fatal mistake which has aided to inunitself.
date the world with Catholic superstitions.

Concerning the

records of the ancient church, the learned Isaac Taylor says " If at any time, or if in any particular instance, the
:

J^ovatian not the Founder of the

authority of the ancient church
,

J\lovatia:is. 155

is

to

be
1

urged upon the modern church, then surely there is a pertinence in turning to the

,,

.1

Tcailor's
^,,
,
.

Ancient
.

apostolic prophesies of perversions, corruptions, apostacies,

quickly to spring within the sacred inclosure

itself,

which

meet us at the threshold,

and seem

to bring us

under a

most solemn obligation to look to it, lest, amid the fervors of an indiscriminate reverence, we seize for imitation the very things which the apostles foresaw and forewarned This timely warning of the church of as fatal errors.'''
this

eminent author points out to us the danger- of em-

bracing errors because of their antiquity.

flood of corruptions

While the

was pouring upon the ancient churches, and many were being overwhelmed by it, God had faithful witnesses all the

time to withstand this tide of error,

and contend
saints.

earnestly for the faith delivered to the

And
As

prominently among these witnesses the Noto

vatians appear, bearing their unflinching testimon}^ for

Christ.

Novatian himself, he
it is

is

so fearfully mis-

represented by his enemies that

give a correct account of him.

elder, in the

somewhat difficult to He was a presbyter, or

church at

Rome

before the rise of the

Roman

Catholic Church.

Cornelius, the rival

and implacable
fifty-one.

enemy of Novatian, was

church at

elected bishop, or pastor, of the

Rome
by

in the year

two hundred and

this

He

represents Novatian as having been " baptized in his

aspersion.''

sick bed,

However

may

be, it does for

it

not affect the standing of the

will

Novatian churches,

be seen that the Novatians did not receive their

orio;in

or baptism from Novatian.

All candid historians admit

that Novatian was grossly misrepresented

by Cornelius.
and

Novatian was a man eminent

for stern piety, learning

156
Dupln^
"
7
*

The Uovatians.
tlie

eloquence.
7T7

Catholic historian, says of

him

-'-^^^^

author has abundance of wit, knowl;

edge and eloquence his style

is

pure, clean,

and and

polite

his expressions choice, his thoughts natural,

his

way of reasoning

just: he

is

full

of citations of

texts of Scripture that are always to the purpose:

sides, there is a great deal

and be-

of order and method in those

;

treatises of his

we now have

and he never speaks but

Robinson, the
is

with a world of candor and moderation."

historian, says:

"The

history of Novatian

long, and,

like that of all others in his

' '

condition,

"

beclouded with fables and slander.

The

character of the

man ought no more

to

be taken from

Cyprian than his ought from the Pagans, who, by punning on his name, called him Coprian, or the Scavenger. The case, in brief, was this Novatian was an elder in
:

Rome. He was a man of extensive learning, and held the same doctrine as the church did, and published several treatises in defense of what he believed. His address was eloquent and insinuating, and his morals
the church at

were irreproachable.

He

saw, with extreme pain, the inChristians, within the

tolerable depravity of the church.

space of a very few years, were caressed by one emperor,

and persecuted by another. In seasons of prosperity, many rushed into the church for base purposes. In times of adversity they denied the faith and ran back to idolatry When the squall was over, away they came again again. to the church, with all their vices, to deprave others by
their example.

The

bishops, fond of proselytes, encour-

aged

and transferred the attention of Christians from the old confederacy for virtue, to vain shows at Easter, and a thousand other Jewish ceremonies, adulterall this,

j^ovatian not the Founder of the js cvatians. 157

ated, too, witli paganism.
cleatli of Bishop Faand a vehement partisan the multitude, was put in nomination. No-

On

the

bian, Cornelius, a brother elder,

for taking in

vatian opposed

him

but as Cornelius carried his election,

but, on the con-

and he saw no prospect of reformation,

withdrew, and a great
tated

trary, a tide of immorality pouring into the church,

he

many with him.

in the

Cornelius, irri-

by Cyprian, who was just

same condition,

through the remonstrances of virtuous men at Carthage,

and who was exasperated beyond measure with one of his elders named Novatus, who had quitted Carthage and had gone to Eome to espouse the cause of Novatian, called a council, and got a sentence of excommunication passed In the end, Novatian formed a church against Novatian. and was elected bishop. Great ifumbers followed his example, and all over the empire Puritan churches were constituted, and flourished through the succeeding two hundred years. Afterward, when penal laws obliged them to lurk in corners, and worship God in private, they were distinguished by a variety of names, and a succession of them continued till the Eeformation."

Thus we

see that

the growing corruptions in the church at

resulted in the division of the church

Noratian made a noble stand against Rome, which

and the formation

It
ia

of another, over which Novatian was elected pastor.

not

known

that Novatian aided in the formation of any

other church than this.

tor of a church at

He

only organized, and was pas-

Laxity of discipline, especially the reception of those who had lapsed into idolatry, had
greatly disturbed the churches in the
cities.

Rome.

And when

Novatian made his stand for virtue and church discipline, ^' great numbers Jollowed his ea:ample,and all over

158

Thd Uovatians.
So we
dis-

the

empire Puritan churches were constituted,^^

cover that Novatian had nothing more to do with the organization of the Novatian churches throughout the
pire than the force of example.

em-

And,

as in all such cases,

no doubt, when the

line of separation

was drawn, some

churches sided with the popular party, while others were

numbered with those

called Novatian.

And,

as to the

case of Novatian himself, his lack of baptism, if the charge

be correct, would no more

affect the succession of the

No-

upon the part of a few "Baptist^' ministers who have received ^^ alien immervatians than the lack of baptism
sion."

Again, Mr. Robinson says: "They say Novatian was

the
first

anti-pope

^-

that tune, no pope

the word.

and yet there was, at the modern sense of They call Novatian the author
;

of the heresy of Puritanism

yet they

know

Tertullian

had quitted the church near fifty years before for the same reason, and Privatus, who was an old man in the time of
Novatian, had, with several more, repeatedly remonstrated
against the alterations taking place, and, as they could
get no redress,
gations.

had dissented and formed separate congre-

the parent of an innumerable multitude of congregations of Puritans all over the empire; and yet he had no other influence over

They tax Novatian with being

any, than what his good example gave him.

People saw every-where the same cause of complaint, and groaned for relief, and when one man made a stand for virtue, the

had arrived people saw the propriety of the cure, and applied the same means to their own relief.'^
crisis

Thus

it is

clearly

made out

that Novatian was not the

founder of the churches called by hi name.

Origin of the JVovatians.

159

Section

II.

Oeigin of the novatians.

We have already shown, upon good authority, that the Waldenses were descended from the Novatians, and observed the same faith and practice ; or, in other words, the same class of Christians who were called Novatians in Italy, were called Waldenses in the valleys of the Alps. As the modern denominations lay no claim to any historic connection

with the Novatians,

it

will not require

much

labor to

show

their Baptist character

and connec-

tion with the apostolic churches.

The Xovatian
hundred
years.

period extends from about the middle of

fifth

the third century to the middle of the

about two

It is not to be understood that the Novatians began and ended with these periods; but that the witnesses for Christ, in the Roman empire, were called Novatians during the period named. They did not call themselves Novatians at the first, but this name was given by their enemies as a term of reproach. What is termed by historians the Novatian rupture, did

not take place on account of a difference in doctrine, so

far as the

church ordinances were concerned, but on acthe lax discipline in the reception of

count of the growing corruptions in some of the churcheSj

in consequence of

apostates.

When

historians use the term Catholic

reference to these times

about the third century they

is

Church with

have no allusion
lic

to

what

now

called the

Roman

Catho-

Church

for at that time

no such church existed. But

in the use of the

fer to

the church in general.

term Catholic, they only intended to reAnd it was this party,

160

Tjie Movatians.
chiiined to be the Catholic, orthodox, or general

which

church, in the third century, that in after times grew to

be the Romish Church.

Concerning the cause which led to the division called

the Novatian rupture, Mr. Orchard remarks
Orch.
Ch.
His.,

*^

When

IT

52

Decius came to the throne, in 249, he rej- x i n quired, by edicts, all persons the emi

j.i

pire to conform to
years' toleration

Pagan worship.

had greatly increased

so long

professors,

Forty and

they w^ere found in every department of the government.

They had been

unaccustomed

to trials, that

the lives of

manv were

unsuited to

sufferins:.

Decius'

edicts rent asunder the churches; multitudes apostatized,

and many were martyred.

w^hen

In two years the

trial abated,

many

apostates applied for restoration to Christian

and sanctioned their application by letters, w^ritten by some eminent Christians who had been martyrs during the persecution. The flagrancy of some aposfellowship,
tates occasioned

an opposition

to their re-admission.''

This slack discipline has been the curse of the churches,

more

or less, in every age.

No

church can prosper which

has not vital action sufficient to throw off the corrupt or

For some time before the " Novatian ruphad been a growing tendency in some churches toward ministerial usurpation and the leaven of the mystery of iniquity was at work, which finally produced Antiforeign matter.

ture " there

christ in his full proportions.

The time

for the "falling

away," spoken of by Paul, had now fully come.

matters not which party
tion occurs,
it is

For

it

is

in the majority

when

a separa-

always true that the party which departs

from the
It
is

faith \ms fallen

away.

generally admitted by hietorians, whether Catholio

Origin of the Jsovatians.

161

or Protestant, that the Catholic party departed from the

simplicity of the Gospel, at least in point of morals.
it

And

appears that, previous to the separation,

many

persons

had deplored the growing corruptions in some of the churches; and they hailed with delight the earliest opportunity of bearing testimony for Christ by rejecting from their fellowship those individuals and churches which had departed from the simplicity of the faith.
Gieseler, in his Ecclesiastical History, gives the follow-

ing account of the Xovatians

"

The Pres'

byter Novatian, at

Pome, was

disaatisfied

''

C'r

-,"-0

with the choice of the Bishop Cornelius (A. D. 251), on account of his lenity toward the Lapsi. In the controversy which now ensued, Novatian, chiefly supported by the Presbyter Novatus, of Carthage, returned to the old principle, that those who had once fallen from the faith could in no case be received again. The church being divided by this schism, Novatian was chosen bishop by
the one party in opposition to Cornelius.

Though

the

other bishops, and especially Cyprian at Carthage, and

Dionysius at Alexandria, were on the side of Cornelius,

great numbers in all parts joined the stricter party.''

This very important testimony from Gieseler, the learned

German

historian,

shows

that, after the division of the

church at Rome, Novatian was chosen pastor or bishop

of. the stricter party;

throughout the empire,

the stricter party. ^^

^^

and wdien the division extended great numbers in all parts joined
this establishes the fact that these

And

great numbers

in all
is

parts did not originate with Novatian.

But

their origin

with the apostolic churches.

Avhich Novatian

And
But

even
this

the church in

Rome, over

was

pastor, did

not receive

its

baptism nor origin from him.

102

The
its

JJovatians.

church derived
church at

origin

from the original apostolic

addressed his letter to the

Rome
In

to

whom Paul

Romans.

fact,

the Kovatian party were that part of

the original church at

Rome, founded

])y

tiie

apostles,

which preserved the purity of discipline and worship against the growing apostacy which sided with Cornelius. And this firm stand of the Xovatians at Rome for virtue,
furnished an example for others.

Orchard remarks that

"
T vrA. 7,

On

account of the church's severity of

'
'
.

^?

^ -p. oo.

^*'

in the greatest

discipline, was followed by the example ^ ^ many, and churches of this order flourished part of those provinces which had received

the Gospel.

'^

Therefore, instead of Xovatian being the founder of this

class of Christians,

he only bore testimony, with others, in

iavor of the purity of discipline which had been preserved

from the time of the apostles. To show that Xovatian did not act alone in his early stand for virtue and truth, vre here insert a statement from
Neander, as follows

"As

his principles are so clearly to be explained

from

the sternness of his Christian character,

Neand. His. Chr. 14? R1 ii-Ch
i
i

^^

^^'^'"^

actmg,

n this

instance,

j.

the spirit of a whole party of the church

existing at that time, there
is

the less need to resort to an

is

explanation, deduced from an external cause, which

supported by no historical proof.''

This statement of Neander was made in refutation of the

charge that Novatian received his principles from the Stoic
philosophy.

And

it

shows

that, instead of his being the

originator of these principles, he only acted in concert with

Or:gi:i cf the Mov.ziianz.

103

"a whole
^'

jjarty of the church/^

which existed before the

Xovatian rupture/'

And it
to be

is

evident that

if

the Xovatians

had no just claims

regarded as the primitive church, they would not

<lared, in the face of

have

such powerful and bitter ene-

Church of Christ on earth. Xeander remarks " The controversy with the party of Xovatian turned upon two general points
mies, to claim to be the only
this point,

Upon

1.

2.

On the principles of On what constitutes

'^

penitence.

Xeand. Ch. Ms.,

p. 145.

the idea of the

essence of a true church.

In regard to the first point, w'hich Xeander calls " penitence '^ owing to the fearful corruptions which resulted from the indiscriminate reception of those who had aposthe Xovatians refused tatized into paganism and idolatry to restore such heinous offenders to church fellowship; but they did not deny that such might obtain forgiveness

from God.

And
Church

in regard to the second point of difference

between

the Xovatians and the popular party, which involved the

question,

Xeander has the following:

"As
r.

far as concerns the second point in dispute, the

\ xu xVs the
-4^ oi purity

notion of the church, Xovatian held the

lollowmg opinion

11

mark
1

Keand. Ch.
^

._

Ills.. '

and holiness

is

one of the essential marks

tlie

of a true church, every church ^vhich, neglecting

right use of church discipline, suffers those

who have
ceases

violated their baptismal

vow by

great sins to remain in

the midst of her, or to receive

thereby to

them into her again, true church, and loses all the a be

rights

and advantages of such a church.

The

Xovatianists,

164

The

J<! ovjviLms.

therefore, as they claimed to be the only unstained, pure

church, called themselves oi hatharoi,

Since
it is

^the pure/
tlio

^'

allowed on

all

hands that even

enemies

of the Novatians did not charge them with impurity in

'.loctrine

or discipline, but only with schism,

C(

and that the

to

Catholic party w^ere

rrupt in discipline, the claim of the

Novatians ought, therefore, to be conceded

them, that

they were the pure, uncorrupted apostolic clirach.

On

this claim the editor of the Religi<'iis

^^

Encyclopedia

remarks:
Leagious
p. 8/
/.

Xovatiaxs

a numerous bu.ly of Protestant

dissenters
'nc>/c.,

from the Ciiurch of Kome, in

.
. . .

^^^ third centurv, Avho, notwuthstandins;

.

the

representations of

tlieir

adversaries,

have some just claims to be regarded as the pure, uncorrupted, and apostolic Church of Christ. They called
themselves Cathari
their

that

is,

the

rmrc ; but they received

name of Novatians from

their adversaries, after their

distinguished leader Novatian, who, in the year 251, was

ordained the pastor of a church in the city of Rome, which

maintained no fellowship
party."

Avith

the (so-called)

Catholic

This distinguished author alTirms that the Novatians

have

^[just

claims

to

be regarded as the pure, uncorrupted

Christ,'^

and
first

apostolic

Church of

This unites the Baptist

history to the apostolic churches of Jesus Christ in the

century.

After a thorough examination on this point. Orchard

the historian,
the Xovatians: "The. churches thus formed

makes the following statement concerning upon a pba of strict communion and rigid discipline,
^<^ained the reproach of

^otl^%T^^''

Puritans they
;

were the oldest bod}^ of Christian churches

Origin of the JVovatians.

of which wo
li:ivo

1()0

any ncoonnt; ami a succession of

iiiHiienee,

iJicmy

\vc shall prove, has continiuMl to the jU'csont day.

No-

and Puritan churches rose in dill'erent parts in (piick succession. So early as 254, these dissenters are complained oi' as having infected France with their doctrines, wliich wiU aid us in the A.lbi!j:;ensean churches, where the same severity of discipline is traced and i-eprobated.'^ Yes, no doubt, the JNovatians were descendants of, and formed part of, the oldest body of Christian churches, which were established by Christ, and the a])()stles. And Mr. Cramp, in his late history, lius the followiui;-: *' NVc may safely infer that they abstained from ^^ com])liance with the innovation, and that ^>^^^>'P^ J^'P ^ ///.s'., p. 59. tlie Novatian churches were what are now called Bai)tist churclies, adhering to the apostolic and
vatian's

example had a powerful

'

primitive

})raetice.''

Notwithstanding
enemies, the proof

all

the false and bitter charges of their

>

is

positive, that the Novatians, in every

J>aptists,

element of church organization, were

/ and dc- ^

scended from the primitive apostolic churches.

It should be observed that the Donatists in Africa, in

the fourth century, are generally admitted to be the

class of Christians

same

with the Novatians.

When
at

the division oc(Mirred at Carthage, similar to that

that party which adhered to the purity of church

Rome,

discipline

and primitive practice

in the

administration of

the ordinances, were called Donatists.

Cryspin, the French historian, affirms that they hold

together in the following things:
^'
'

First:

For purity of church mem- D' Anvcrs on Bap

to

rjrs,

by asserting that none ought

be

tism, p. 223.

1G6

The
into

J\ ovaiians.

adiiiittecl

churches but such as were visibly true

believers

aud

real saints.

Secondly: For the purity of church discipline^ as the

application of church-censures,

and keeping out such

in

as

liad apostatized or scandalously sinned.

Thirdly:
rights,

They both agreed

asserting the

power,

and privileges of particular churches, against anti-Christian encroachments of presbyters, bishops, and
synods.

Fourthly: That they baptized again those whose

first

baptism they had ground to doubt.^^

The

foregoing, as found in

D'Anvers on Baptism, exwere but the Novatians

hibits the fact that the Donatists

of Africa.

And

although they were called by different

names on different continents, yet they were one and the same class of Christians, who Avere the successors of the original churches that withstood the mighty flood of corruptions which beat upon the Church of Christ in the third, fourth, and fifth centuries.

And

that the Novatians adhered to the primitive prin-

ciples of the first century, is

admitted by Mr. Vv^addington,

in his History of the

tians,

Church.

In speaking of the Kova-

whom
0/
P^ie

he dignifies with the title "Sectaries,^' he " And those rigid principles remarks
:

'^^''

''^7

Church,

'0.

which had characterized and sanctified the first century were abanthe church

doned to the profession

third.^'

of schismatic sectaries in

the

This very important statement of George Waddington, the learned Episcopal historian, establishes t^vo important points
1.

That the Xovatians,

called Sectaries

by

their ene-

Origin of the
mies,

jNovaiiciiis.

167

PRESERVED THOSE RIGID PRIXCIPEES WHICH HAD CHARACTERIZED AND SANCTIFIED THE ChURCH IN THE
FIRST CENTURY.^^

That tlie Catholic, or orthodox party, "abandoned '^ THESE PRINCIPLES "TO THE PROFESSION OF SCHISMATIC SECTARIES IN THE THIRD '^ CENTURY.
2.

Therefore, as the Catholics, or orthodox, were the party which abandoned the primitive principles of Christianity, they were undoubtedly the party that fell away or apostatized from the truth. But, on the other hand, as the Novatians were the party which maintained the primitive principles of Christianity, they must be regarded as the
original Church, in spite of the

pompous pretentions of

the so-called Catholics.

While it is an admitted fact that the term Novatians, which was applied to the early witnesses for Christ, was derived from Novatian, yet it is not true that he was their founder, or that the church of which he was pastor was the first church in the separation from the popular religion. There were other churches before this, independent of the so-called orthodox, which l^ore the same
testimony for original principles.
I here call attention to a statement from Robinson, in-

troduced in the former section, as follows:

"They

say
^^-

Novatian was the

first

anti-pope; and yet

^^^^^_^^^'^^-

there was, at that time, no pope in the

modern sense of the word.

They

call
;

Novatian the author of the heresy of Puritanism and yet they know that Tertullian had quitted the church near fifty years before for the same reason ; and Privatus, wlio was an old man in the time of Novatian, had, with several
more, repeatedly remonstrated against the alterations
tal^-

168

The

J\"ova'ians.

ing place, and as they could get no redress, had dissented,

and formed separate congregations. They tax Novatian being parent of an innumerable multitude of congregations of Puritans all over the empire and yet he had no other influence over any than what his good example gave him. People saw every-where the same cause of complaint, and groaned for relief; and when one man made a stand for virtue, the crisis had arrived people saw the propriety of the cure, and applied the same means to their own relief.^^ Thus we discover that even before the time of Xova'^ which bore tian, there existed " separate congregations testimony against the corruptions of the popular party. It is a fact, conceded by all historians, that the primitive
^vitli
;

churches, with few exceptions,

tian,

down

to the time of

Xova.origi-

preserved the church ordinances as they were

nally delivered by inspiration.

line

corruptions had respect mainly to the lax discipwhich prevailed, especially in the city churches. In other words, all parties acknowledge that the main body of the early churches, prior to the middle of the third century, were true churches of Christ, and that they had their origin from Christ and the apostles. And as it has been fully shown, upon good authority, that the Novatians had their origin from these primitive churches, therefore their succession reaches back through the primitive churches to Christ and the apostles. In regard to these early Baptist churches, IMr. Robinson remarks, that " during the
i?o&.'s Eccl. Res.,
,

The

first

three centuries, Chris^

tian congregations, all over the East, sub^5

sisted
^

m
-

separate, mdepentlent bodies, uni.

ixir

supported

by Government, and

conse-

Origin of the JVovaiians.

quently without any secular power over one another.
this time they

169

All

were baptized

[Baptist] churches, and

though all the fathers of the first four ages down to Jerome were of Greece, Syria, and Africa; and though they give great numbers of histories of the baptism of
adults, yet there
is

not one record of the baptism of a

child

when Galates, the dying son of the Emperor Valens, was baptized, by order of a monarch who swore he would not be contradicted.'^
till

the year 370,

was the custom of the old English writers to use the word baptized where we use the word baptist,- So we have the historic fact, stated in the foregoing, that these ^ early churches were Baptist churches. From the shores of America we have followed the footprints of the Baptist denomination back through England, Holland, and Germany, to the valleys of Piedmont, and thence to Italy and the land of Judea, in the apostolic In all our examinations we find no flaw or break age.
It
in the chain of our denominational succession.

But

it

is

admitted that our ancestors were called by different names

in

different ages of the world.

We

now

find ourselves
first

connected Avith the primitive churches of the

and

second centuries.

And

it

is

admitted by

all that these

churches bore the apostolic character.

eled after the original
at Jerusalem.

They were mod-

Church founded by Christ himself

In making out the chain of our succession, we have not embraced all, in different parts, who bore the Baptist character; but we only designed to present the most direct
line of our connection with the apostolic churches with-

out the introduction of a great

many names.

Thus we have reached 4he fountain-head of that mighty

170

The

J^ovatians,

down from Jerusalem through the desert gloom of more than eighteen centuries, and watering the famishing world with the pure Gospel of the River of Life. Here is found the light-house of the world, erected upon the Rock of Eternal Ages, casting its beams of heavenly light far over the stormy seas, while gross darkness enveloped the world, and the multiNotwithstanding tudes were wondering after the Beast. we have traced our denominational line of succession directly up to the apostolical age, yet this would avail us
stream of Scriptural churclies flowing

nothing
teristics

if we are found destitute of the peculiar characwhich distinguished the apostolic churches. We

will, therefore,
tist

proceed in our next to examine the Bajp-

peculiarities

by the

light of the

New

Testament and

the practice of the apostolic churches.

(Baptist Succession.

171

CHAPTER YIIL
BAPTIST PECULIAEITY FIRSTJESUS THE FOUNDER

AND HEAD.
1. 2.

Peculiarity first Tested by the Bible, Peculiarity first Identified in present Baptist teaching.
I.

Section

Baptist peculiarity first tested by

THE BIBLE.

From

the shores of America

we have

followed the foot-

prints of the Baptist denomination back through England,

Holland, Germany, the valleys of Piedmont, and Italy,

up

to the land of Judea, in the apostolic age.

We

have

found our denominational chain of succession unbroken,

though the same people were at different times called by different names. \ye have now reached the fountain-head of that mighty stream of Scriptural churches flowing down from Jerusalem through the desert gloom of more than
eighteen centuries, and watering the famishing world with
the pure Gospel of the River of Life.

Here may be found

of the
cast-

the establishment of the Church

world
ing

erected upon the Rock of Eternal Ages, and

beams of heavenly
light far over the

the light-house

its

stormy seas

of moral darkness, Avhile the multitudes of mankind were

enveloped in darkness.

Notwithstanding we have traced our denominationaJ

line of succession directly

up

to the apostolic age, yet this

would

avail us nothing if
characteristics

we

are found destitute uf those

peculiar

which

distinguished

the

early

172

Jesus the Founder a::d Head:

In chapter
first,

churches.

we

laid

down seven

Baptist

pcciiUa}' characteristics
all

which now distinguish them from

the parties of Christendom.

tliese peculiarities,

We

now

proceed to ex-

amine

one by one, by the light of In-

spiration, to see if they are sustained

and examples of the

in the

apostolic churches.

by the word of God It was remarked

outset that

no denomination, except the Baptist

claims Jesus Christ, in person, as their founder and head.

Other denominations look to uninspired men for their origin. Does the Bible sustain the Baptist doctrine that Jesus Christ himself established his own church ? To the law and testimony The Lord spoke by the mouth of Daniel the prophet, and said " And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kinsfdom, ^ which shall never be destroyed and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it
:

shall stand forever.^'

It

is

generally admitted that this

prophecy points to Jesus Christ,

who

is

the

God

of heaven

who was
it

manifested in the

flesh.

If this be correct, and

it

can not be reasonably doubted, then

was declared by

the prophet, that Jesus Christ, the

set

God

of heaven, should

ham

Does this mean that Abraup the kingdom? that Moses should set it up? that John the Baptist should set it up? that Peter, Xo this or all the apostles together^ should set it up ? work was deleofated neither to ano-els nor men. It was peculiarly the work of the God of heaven. Some assume
up
the everlasting hingdora.
set

should

the position that the

God

of heaven established his kingagents

dom on

earth by proxy

by human
Bat
it

as the

God

of heaven built the temple by Solomon, and wrote the

Bible by inspired men.

must be remembered, that

Tested

by.

the (Bible.

173

when God performed

these great

agents, those agents were especially appointed

works through human by God

himself to perform their several labors.

No

one but Solfirst

omon was

divinely authorized to erect the

temple,

which was a type of the Church of Christ. It w^ould have been rebellion for any one else to have assumed to Uimself the right to build the temple. Even David, the highly favored king of Israel, dared not enter upon this

work without divine

stone toward this

permission.

He

earnestly desired to

build the house of the Lord, but he would not lay one

work without the heavenly commission.

Those who wrote the Scriptures were moved to this work And in the Gospel dispensation, by the Holy Spirit. John the harbinger baptized the penitent Jews, ho when could point to his commission from heaven, and say "He
:

that sent
apostles

me

to baptize with water.''

Neither did the

assume

to themselves the apostleship

without the

divine appointment; they were chosen and ordained by

Jesus Christ.

But where

is

the commission authorizins:

It

either angels or

men

to set

up the kingdom of God ?

can not be found.

In the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, the kingdom of God was symbolized by the stone which " was
This could not have been the case
if

cut out without hands."

God had
It
is

delegated

human

agents to set up the kingdom.

true that

men

.were appointed to perform certain duties in connection

appointed to set

with the establishment of the kingdom, but they were not it up. John the Baptist was sent " to
a people prepared
set

make ready
Lord.''

for

the

up the kingdom. He simply prepared materials from which Jesus gathered the first members of the kingdom. When was the king-

John did not

174

Jesus the Founder and Head:

clom set up ? We answer, that the setting up of the kingdom, with its laws and ordinances, was not an instantaneous, but a gradual work. John preached the Gospel and prepared materials for the setting up of the kingdom, but

Jesus Christ, soon after his ow^n baptism in the river

Jordan, chose the twelve apostles

bers of the organization

who were the

first

mem-

known

as the church or king-

dom
the

of God.

When John
Lamb's

beheld the triumphant church as the bride,

under the symbol of the great city descending out of heaven from God, he saw " the names of
wife,

the tw^elve apostles of the

that the twelve apostles were the bers of the

Lamb"

in the

twelve foundation stones. This shows clearly

first

or foundation

memmust,

Church of God.
to be obeyed.

A kingdom or church
it,

of necessity, have a king to rule over

ruled,

subjects to be
is

and laws

Jesus Christ himself

the

king, from everlasting to everlasting.

The absurd

idea of

the coronation of Jesus on the day of Pentecost, is false He possessed kingly glory with the and ridiculous. Father before the world was he was born King of the Jews he was the ^' King of Israel " when Kathaniel met him and he declared him; ; ;

self to

be a king at the bar of Pilate.

r.
:

It

is

a settled

John 18

r.

point that Jesus Christ was king while on

-^
, ,

37.

earth, before the

king had subjects to

left all

day be governed

oi Pentecost.

And
^

the

as soon as the apostles

and followed him. The seventy disciples were soon added to the twelve, and the subjects of the king continued to increase during his ministry. But when were the laws delivered for the government of the kingdom ? As Moses came down and delivered the laws to govern na-

Tested by the
tional Israel, after he

(Bible.

17

so Jesus Christ, after he

had fasted forty days on the Mount, had fasted forty days during hig temptation in the wilderness, began to deliver the laws for the government of his kingdom. The Savior continued
to deliver these

laws

till

the night of his betrayal.

After the Lord^s Supper was instituted, then Jesus delivered the kingdom, as a complete organization, to the
disciples in the following words ^^And I appoint unto vou a kingdom, as my Father hath ap- ^ ^ ^^ ^^ ^ , \ LuJx22: 29,30. ^ pomted unto me; ^,{ that ye may eat and
:

'

my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." While Jesus Christ
drink at
the king was personally present with the church, he transacted the business of the
to depart to the Father,

kingdom but he was now about and he delivered to his disciples

;

the kingdom, or the authority to execute the laws of the

kingdom
the

in the absence of the

King.

In the same night,

^^
:

in his dedication prayer, the Savior said

^
.

I have finished
John 17
^
,
:

work which thou gravest me to do." The ^ settmg up 01 the kingdom was the work as,

4.

signed by the Father to Jesus Christ; and as he declared

that his

work was

finished,

we must conclude

that he

had

completed the setting up of his kingdom.

is

This position

fully illustrated in the building of Solomon's Temple, which was a type of the Church of Christ. Solomon's Temple was built of stones and timbers prepared in the quarry and forests of Lebanon. Solomon did not bring rough materials and place them in the building in order to prepare them, as is done by modern workmen ; but each stone and timber was first prepared for its place, and then placed in the temple, and the building progressed to comThe temple was pletion without the sound of a hammer.

176

Jesus the Fovmder and Head:

all

complete, in
to the

of its parts, before

it

was publicly dedicated

service of

God by
all

prayer and the application of

sacrificial

blood ; likewise the Church of Christ Avas a comof

its

plete organization,

laws and ordinances had been

by the prayer of Jesus, recorded in the 17th of John, and the application of his own blood which was shed upon the tree of
delivered, before
it

was publicly dedicated

the Cross.

The

injunction requiring the apostles to tarry

were endued with power from on had no reference to the setting up of the kingdom, but to the power to speak with tongues and remember all
at Jerusalem until they

high,

the previous teaching of the Savior.

The

Baptist position,

that Jesus Christ was the founder of his

own

church,

is

supported by the language of the Savior himself, as follows

" And I say also unto thee, that thou art Peter,
^n -,0 Matt. 16: 18.
^r
,.

and upon
. .

"fcl^is

rock I will build my church: and the .1 ,, ^ n n gates 01 hell shall not prevail against it."
'
1 1

Did

the Savior

mean

that Peter

would build
?

his church ?

that Luther would build his church

build his church?

would John Wesley would build his church or that Alexander Campbell would build his church? No. He declared, Iioill build my church; and a church or kingdom built by any one else is not the kingdom
that Calvin
that

of Christ.

As

already remarked, the establishment of the

church as a complete organization was a gradual work from the calling of the apostles to the establishment of the
Lord's Supper.

This work had been begun before the

Savior said, upon this rock will

I build my church ; and

establish his church
is

he

went forward
his

to complete

and

upon

himself as the only foundation which

able to support

kingdom.

The

Baptist position has been fully susis

tained, that Jesus Christ

the founder of his

own

church,

Tested by the
and that
earth.
Avas set

(Bible.

177

it

up during
:

his personal ministry on

The Savior

said

John: since that Lukel^: 16. and every man presseth into it." This passage alone ought to silence every objector who denies that the kingdom was set up before
until
,

The law and the prophets were time the kingdom ^ ,^ ,^ ^

"

01 (jrod IS preached,

The Savior began his work while John was and men pressed into the kingdom before the day of Pentecost. For the further discussion of the setting up of the kingdom, the reader is referred to the second chapter of my Text-Book on Campbellism. Again, are
Pentecost.
living,

the Baptists right in claiming Jesus Christ as the only

head of the church?

called,

In ancient times the Baptists were the headless by way of derision, the Acephali head. That Jesus because they acknowledged no human Christ should be recognized as the head of his disciples, as their great teacher, Avas established by the voice of the

disciples

Father when speaking in the hearing of the affrighted on the mount of transfiguration;
:

he said
I

" This

is
;

my beloved Son,
hear ye him."

am

well pleased

in whom Any society which

ap-

any other authority than that of Jesus Christ, in cases of discipline, does not recognize him as its head and The same position is affirmed by the apostle law-giver. Paul, when he declares that God "hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head . ^c) j^ ^ over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness in him which filleth all in all." And again, the same apostle says: "But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ from whom
peals to
j

'

the whole- body

fitly

joined together, and compacted by

178

Jesiis the

Founder and Head:

that which every joint suj^plieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.^' Once more, waiting to the Cohjssians, Paul affirms that ^' Jesus Christ is the head of the body, the church, who is

the beginning, the first-born from the dead;

that in all things he might have the pre-eminence.^'

From

the foregoing, and

many

similar passages,

it is

abundantly

proved that Jesus Christ alone is to be regarded as the founder and head of his own kingdom. The idea of the body of Christ, his church, having a human head, is utterly preposterous.
to

In

fact,

whenever any one presumes

occupy the place, either as the founder or head of the

Christ, he has partaken of the character

Church of
tist

and

prerogative of Antichrist.

We
its

now

reaffirm that the

ea7'th ichich

Bap-

denomination

is

the only one

on

claims

Jesus Christ in person as

founder and head.

Section II. Baptist authority claiming jesus CHRIST AS THE FOUNDER AND HEAD OF THE CHURCH.
It
is

almost a work of supererogation to collect

this point; because, all

testi-

mony on
it is

acquaintance with Baptist

who have even a slight doctrine, ought to know that

But, as some are
not be amiss to

a fundamental principle Avith Baptists to claim Jesus

Christ as their only founder and head.

prone to pervert Baptist views,

it

may

gather a few authorities on this important point.

In the Philadelphia Confession of Faith,

Bel Denom.
U.

it

is

said:

"The Lord
Church,
in

Jesus Christ

is

the head of the

S. G. B., p. 51.

whom, by

the appointment of

Claimed by

(Baptist Authorities.

179

the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order, or government of the church, is invested in a supreme and This is but the testimony of all the sovereign manner/'

Baptists in the world.

The author
testifies

of the Religious Encyclopedia, in this point

as

follows:

'^They [Baptists] think that the

Christian Church, properly so called, was not visibly or-

ganized in the family of Abraham, nor in the wilderness

of Sinai, but by the ministry of Christ himsell,

and that it was then constituted of such, and of such only,

or his apostles;

and

^^

'

as

made

a credible profession of repentance from sin and

faith in the Savior.'^

tist

And on the same subject the BapManual, published by the American Baptist Publication Societv, remarks: " We acknowleda-e ^ no founder but Christ." ihus we find,
acteristic,

that the Baptists of the present day possess the Bible charthat Jesus Christ in person set

up

his

own

kingdom.

180

The

(Bible as the cRiile

of Conduct:

CHAPTER

IX.

BAPTIST PECULIAKITY SECOIS^D THE BIBLE AS THE

RULE OF CONDUCT.
1.

2.

Peculiarity Second tested by the Bible. Peculiakity Second identified in Present Baptist Teaching.
I.

Section
Nearly

Baptist

peculiarity second tested

BY the bible.
all parties

are agreed that the Scriptures should

be the standard of appeal; but, at the same time^

many

have their own disciplines and confessions of faith, fixing They appeal to the terms of union and communion. these human standards in the transaction of their church
business.

There are some, however, besides Baptists, who

but
it

of late profess to be governed by the Bible alone in their

church

affairs;

will be found, in the sequel, that

they reject a large part even of the

their standard of worship.

Xew

Testament from

It will be found,

upon

strict

inquiry, that the Baptists are the only people

who take

the Bible alone as their rule of faith and practice in

church matters.

But

is

this doctrine, thai the

Word

of

God should
ration ?

be our rule of conduct^ sustained

by Inspikingdom,

The

fact that Jesus Christ is

King

in his

ought to establish the point, that no authority except his own is binding on his subjects. And it is an admitted
fact that the Bible contains the authority or

laws of Jesus

Tested by the

(Bible.

181

Christ; therefore, the Bible alone should be the rule of

faith

and practice

in his

kingdom. Jesus Christ

is

alone

the Law-giver and Ruler in Zion.

inspired men, have the right to

The doctrine that unmake laws for the kingas suitable for one to

dom

of God,

is

pregnant with rebellion against the king.

that
it

It appears to

me

would be

attempt to write a code of laws to govern the angels in

heaven as to make laAvs to govern the kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth. It is evident that God the Father recognized his Son, Jesus Christ, as the Law-giver in Zion,
at ^le transfiguration he said: ^^This is

when

my

beloved Son, in
hear ye him.^'
Jesus

whom

am

well pleased;

We

are under no obligation to hear any

other authority than that of Jesus in matters of religion.

is

that prophet spoken of

by Moses, when he

^'

Said

unto the children of Israel, a prophet shall

Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.'' As Moses was the law-giver and prophet in national Israel, so Jesus Christ, his great antetype, is Lav/-giver and Ruler
the

over spiritual Israel.

pised Moses
.

And "He
1

that des-

i.r

law died without mercy un:

-1

^^^- 10: 28-31.

^^,

,^

^ ,

der two or three witnesses

Of how much

sorer punish-

ment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy,

who hath

trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the
the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified,

an unholy things and hath done despite unto the Spirit of For we know him that hath aid. Vengeance beo^race?
longeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.
again, the

And

judge his people. It is a fearful It is thing to fall into the hands of the living God.^^ who have trodevident, from this connection, that those
shall

Lord

182

The

(Bible as the ^Rule

of Conduct

den underfoot the Son of God,

are those

who have

des-

pised or rejected the laws of Christ; and as those

who

despised the law of Moses died without mercy,

estimate the fearful

who can

doom

of those

who

disobey Jesus

Christ?
to

God

said,

by the mouth of Samuel the prophet,

letter

king Saul, who departed somewhat from the

of the Lord's
"'"
*

commandment

"

Hath

the

Lord

as great delight in burnt-offerings

and

sacrifices, as in
is

obeying the voice of the Lord?

Be-

hold, to obey

better than sacrifice,

and

to

hearken than Because

the fat of rams.

For
is

rebellion

is

as the sin of witchcraft,

and stubbornness

as iniquity

and

idolatry.

thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.'^

From

these passages of

Scripture

we

discover the dreadful turpitude of the sin of

despising or disregarding the

pretext whatever.

Jesus said to the Jews

word of the Lord under any " Howbeit in

:

vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the

positive testimony that the

commandments of men." This is commandments of men are not

binding in matters of religion,

ship,
,

that they are vain wor:

same point, as follows " Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the ^^ ^ ^ ^^ 2023. Ool, 2 rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to [human] ordinances, (u)uch not taste not handle not which all are to peris h with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh." In tliis passage the apostle condemns, in unmeasured terms, all the '^ commandments and doctrines of men," whatever may
Paul speaks
to the
:

Tested by the

(Bible.

183

be their appearance of wisdom and humility.

"For
^
1 Cor. 3:

the
19.

wisdom of this world

,^
. . .

is

L or

it IS

written, he taketh the wise in their

Til

foolishness with
.

God.
,
.

craftiness." When we are governed in religious worby human Disciplines, or Confessions of Faith, we are guilty of following the commandments and doctrines of men. The apostle Paul explains the use of the inspired

own

shi])

Scriptures as follows
.

given by inspiration oi
tion in righteousness

,.

..

" All Scripture

r-i

is

(^

^
;

(jrod

and

1is

r^

2Tim.^:

16,17.

-,

prolit-

able for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruc:

that the

man

of

God may

be- perfect,

thoroughly furnished unto

forth the Scriptures, the

all

good works."

This

sets

Word

of God, as the perfect rule

of actioD, by which all acceptable service must be ren-

dered to God.

And

if

we adopt any

other rule of action,

In fact, words of Jesus Christ by which we shall be judged in that great day when the dead, small and great,
reject Jesus Christ as the only

we

Law-giver.

it

will be the

shall stand before the throne of

God

for Jesus has de,

clared that,
ceiveth

"He that reiecteth me, and re- ^ JohnU: , ; my words, / not hath one .] that judg1
:

48,49.

him the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself: but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak." And
eth
in

view of being judged

last

b}^

the

Word

of God,

we

have, in

chapter of Revelation, the following terrible warning " For I testify unto every man
the

that heareth the words oi the prophecy oi

this

11

11

R^v. 22

18, 19.

shall

if any man shall add unto these things, God add unto him the plagues that are written in this Book and if any man shall take away from the words of

Book,

184
the

The
Book

(Bible as the (kule

of Conduct:

of this prophecy,

God

shall take

out of the

Book

of Life,

and out

of the holy city,

away his part and from

the things which are wTitten in this Book.'^

In the

face of these Scriptures,

how
last

dare any one to

adopt, as authority in religion, any r^de except the Word of

God? As

the

New Testament is the

it

Will of our Lord

Jesus Christ,
children of

contains all the duties enjoined upon the

in the Christian dispensation.

God

While the

Testament is our standard of appeal, we regard the Old Testament as necessary to confirm and establish the New. Thus we have found that the second Baptist peculiarity, as

New

introduced in the

first

chapter of this work,

is

fully sustained

by the inspired Word.

Section IL Peculiarity second identified in PRESENT baptist TEACHING.

That the Bible alone
faith
is to

be regarded as the rule of

and
is

practice, all Baptists hold ivith unyielding te-

nacity.

It

true that Baptists have, at different times, writ-

ten their views on the prominent points of Scripture doc-

which has proved very important as a matter of but they appeal to no other standard except the Bible, in the reception, discipline and exclusion of members. Dr. W^ayland remarks: "The question is frequently asked. What is the creed, and what are the acknowledged
trine,

history

standards of the Baptist churches in this

rin.

an

rac.

^Q^y^j^^^y^

ofBapts., p. 13.
tice is the

f laitn and pracever been, 'Our rule oi

.

To

this the general n -n ^

answer has

New

Testament.^

We

have no other authority

to

which we

all

profess submission.'^

Idsniified

i:i

(Baptist

Teaching.

185

Also, Joseph Belcher, speaking of the Baptists, says:

" It

is

important, however, that

it

should be well under^^40

'

stood that nowhere do the churches of this

denomination require subscription to this

or any other
f<il

j^

human

creed as a term of
rigidly to the

lowship.

They adhere

New

Testament
first article

as the sole standard of Christianity/'

In the

of the abstract of principles contained in the Encyclo2:>edia of Religious Knowledge,

is
it is

affirmed, that the Bible

all

" The supreme standard by which

human conduct, creeds and opinions should

be tried."

^W^'^-

ncycj

In

fact,

it

is

but the united

voice of all Baptists throughout the world, that, "

profess to take for our guide, in all matters

We
^J^'

of relio-ious belief and practice, the

New

/I?' ^^

lestamentj the whole JSew lestament, and

nothing but the

after, that this

New

Testament.^'

And it will be seen, herewhen no

by the

has been a prominent feature of Baptist

doctrine through all the dark ages of Popery,

other denomination even professed to be governed Scriptures alone.

But have not the Baptists

a Confession

of Faith, which they regard as their standard of doctrine?

No

none except the Bible.

But they have,

at differ-

ent times, in different countries, given expression to their

views of Bible doctrine.

tist

And

these expressions of

Bap-

sentiments have usually been called forth in order to

correct the false

and slanderous charges which have been heaped upon the persecuted Baptists. In these latter days these " confessions of faith '^ have
fact that

become the more necessary from the

almost a
Bil)le.

thousand antagonistic parties profess to believe the

The Savior prayed

that all his disciples might be one, in

186

The

(Bible as the (Rule

of Conduct:

order to the conversion of the world.

persons holding

The

design of this

oneness was not simply to assemble together a mass of

all sorts

of doctrines.

The

apostle ex-

horted the brethren as follows: ^^I beseech

you, brethren, by the

Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the

there be no divisions

name of our Lord same thing, and that

among you

but that ye be perfectly

joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgment.'^

And

in order to this oneness, in

mind and judg-

ment,
to

it

becomes absolutely necessary for those who desire

dwell together in unity to express themselves in regard

to the

leading points in Bible doctrine.

it

If they design to be united in church capacity,

is

necessary for persons to express themselves, at least on

all

those points which are essential to church organization

for if persons should assemble together simply

on the

profession that they believe the Bible, then

have

Boman

Catholics, Episcopalians,

we might Presbyterians, Lu-

therans,

and Methodists, with all other Pedobaptists and also we would have Unitarians, Universalists, Quakers, Campbellites, and Mormons, all united with Baptists on the vague profession of believing the Bible. We must not only receive the Bible as our standard theoretically, but we must make it our rule of action.
Therefore, in the midst of such a multitude of opposing
parties

and doctrines,

it

becomes absolutely necessary

for

those

who would dwell

;

together to express their views of

Bible doctrine

and

as a

summary

of faith must be exit

pressed in order to Christian union,

can certainly be
it

no more harm

to write it

than to express

orally.

This
is

summary

of doctrine, wdiether written or unwritten,

the creed of the individual

who

holds

it;

it

is

a Bible

Identified in (Baptist Teaching.

creed only so far as
sul)ject,

187

it

Mr. Jeter writes

comports with Inspiration. On this " Every intelligent as follows

:

Christian has a creed, written or unwrit-

^^^ ^ There are certain facts, truths, and posed, p. principles which he believes and maintains, and the belief of which he deems essential
ten.
.

^f^
34.

to the

essence of true holiness.

articles of his belief;

He may or may not write

these

but they are equally his creed, and

equally efficacious in controlling his conduct, whether

they are written or unwritten.

in his mind,

The

writing of them

is

merely placing in a visible form what previously existed

and

and doing so contravenes no law of Christ no moral obligation. But what is here affirmed of an individual, may with equal clearness and
violates

propriety be affirmed of a church of Christ.'^

But
trial,

it

must be remembered that such

^'

creeds,^^ or ex-

pressions of faith, are not appealed to in the reception,

and exclusion of members among Baptists. In answer to the charge made by Alexander Campbell, that the Baptists had a Confession of Faith as a bond of union. Elder J. L. Waller says " Let us, then, calmly examine creeds, as used by the Baptists, and see
:

what there
Christians.

is

in the matter so terrible to

^^
^

eueiv,
^

And we

iO-iO, p. loo.

o?!

here state, and

we
bond of union and

defy

all

contradiction, that the only

communion ever recognized by

is

the Baptist denomination,

the Bible.

This every

man

acquainted with their his-

tt-ry

knows

to be the truth.

They never published any

cieed, long or short, at

any time, as a bond of union and communion. These, we say, are notorious facts, and we assert them in the face of the thousand and one statements to the contrary, made, of late years, in print and in the

188

TJie (Bible as the (Rule of

Conduct:
;

pulpit.

That the Baptists have creeds, is admitted but

is

that

these creeds are used as bonds of union,

denied."

In ex-

planation of the use of creeds

continues:

among
first

Baptists,

Mr. Waller

"The
it

Confession of Faith

ever published by the Baptists in England,

was

in 16 i3.

They prefaced

thus:

^A

Confession of

Faith of seven congregations or churches of Christ, in London, which are commonly, but unjustly, called Anabaptists;

puhUshed for

the vindication of the truth

and iiformation

of the ignorant; likewise for the talcing off those aspersions

which are frequently, both in pulpit and print, unjustly cast upon them.' You will remark that it was published for the vindication of the truth, and to remove unjust imputations, under

which the Baptists were

suffering,

and
be

not as terms of union and communion."

And

it

will

found that Baptists have often published an expression of

faith for the information of the ignorant, for the vindica-

tion of the truth,

and

to stand as a matter of history to

point out to future generations the principles for which

they

'suffered.

This Confession of Faith, referred to by

Elder Waller,

may

be found in the appendix to the

first

volume of Crosby's History of English

Baptists, page 7.

Again, in the year 1689, the delegates of more than

one hundred churches met in London and republished the

former Confession of Faith, "for the satisfaction of

tism."

all

other Christians that differ from us in the point of bap-

Various other expressions of faith and practice have been published by the Baptists, at different times,

down

by the Philadelphia Association in language of the English Baptists as a reason for its publication. These American Baptists, like their English brethren, felt themr
to that published

1742.

And

this association repeated the

Identified in (Baptist Teaching.

selves "

189

To be under

necessity of publishing a Confession

^''^

of Faith, for the information and satisfac mew, derstand what our principles were, or had
'

tion of those that did not thoroughly

un-

/^

'

p. 134.

,^f

by reason of them by some men of note, who had taken very wrong measures, and accordingly led others into misapprehensions of us and them/^ It is a
entertained prejudices against our profession,

the strange representation of

w^ell-known

fact,

that in all these Baptist confessions of

faith the Bible is recognized as the rule of faith

tice.

and prac-

Once more, Mr. Waller says

:

"

Our churches gen-

erally
faith

have creeds, or declarations of their upon their church-books and these ^

^

mew,

^ ^^^

^P

p. 13o.

creeds they

make
to

themselves, but they do

not

feel

bound

make them

in obedience to the wdll of

any synod, council or assembly upon

or abolish

earth.

Over

these

creeds they maintain absolute supremacy, and can alter

them

at pleasure.
;

They
for

are never used as

terms of union and communion

no person is required to subscribe to them on being received into membership." Mr. Waller says, in conclusion " One principle which has always been esteemed fundamental by us THE INDEPENDENCE AND SOVEPwEIGNTY view, 13o. .Ji' p. OF EACH CHURCH ought to have convinced any reflecting man, that a denominational creed, as a bond of union and communion, was wholly out of the question, and t'ae charge that we had such, was a foul slan:
.

der.'^

It

is

now
and

clear that the Baptists possess the peculi-

arity of the primitive churches in taking the Bible as their

rule oi faith

practice.

190

Order of the Cominandinents

CHAPTER
MANDMENTS.
1.

X.

BAPTIST PECULIAEITY THIRD ORDER OF THE COM>

Peculiarity Third tested by the Bible. Peculiarity Third identified in present teaching.
I.

2.

Baptist

Section

Baptist peculiarity third tested by

commandments; and the Lord's
;

THE bible.
Baptists hold the Bible order of the
they teach Repentance,

Faith, Baptism,

Supper.
order
earth.
trine,
is

This

is

emphatically a Baptist peculiarity

this

not even professed by any other denomination on

This is a very important feature or point of docwhich will aid us in identifying the true Church of
Jesus Christ not only established laws for the
his disciples, but he established the precise

Christ.

government of

order in which those laws must be obeyed.

the order of a law,
is

To

violate
treat

to disregard the

law

itself,

and

the law-giver with contempt.

For the

officers

of a civil

government

to pretend to enforce the laws

by inverting
office.

the order of their application, would involve them in the

censure of the government and the forfeiture of their

That one who changes the order of the laws of

;

Christ, ar-

Paul rays himself as a rebel against his government. " said to the Corinthians Now I praise you, brethren,
that you

remember me

in all things,

and

you.''

keep the ordinances as I delivered them to These brethren were not at liberty to change the

Tested by the
ordinances
ered.

(Bible.

191

they were to keep them as they were deliv-

Of

these four important oomminiJs,

two

repent-

ance and faith

;

are

enjoined upon sinners in order to

and the other two baptism and the Lord^s their pardon Supper are enjoined upon the children of God in order to their Christian duty and advancement in divine life. As regards the order of repentance and faith, the Bible is

clear.

Jesus said to those

'
:

who

believed in the existence

i^r
j
-i

of

God

Repent

ye,

and believe the Gos-

-i-

\)e\J'

It

is

freely admitted that before one

can repent, he "must believe that

a rewarder of them
that

God

is,

and

"that
,,

he
^

is

dilio-ently

seek

^^,

him.

lieve this

But devils and wicked men may bemuch, and even tremble, without
It
is

possessing

faith with the heart.

the faith that ivorks by love,

purifies the heart, implies trust in Christ,

heart,

and is with the which follows repentance, and is necessary to the pardon of sins. This is that faith referred to by the apostle,

when he

said

"

One Lord,
false

one faith, one

baptism.'^

There are

gods, but only

one true God; there are false baptisms, but only one true

baptism approved by Jesus Christ

without works, which wicked
heart in the

there

is

a dead faith,

men and
is

devils

may

possess

without repentance, but there

only one faith with the

It
is

Lord Jesus

Christ.

the heart-faith

which follows repentance, and through which salvation, the gift of God, is bestowed. When Jesus Christ preached
to the Jews,

he said

Repent

ye,

and
?

believe the Gosnel,

Did he make
formors,

a mistake as to the order

Our modern Keis

who

are wise above that which

;

written, reprove
:

the Savior by changing his order

repent
/

they say

Believe

and

When

Jesus reproved the chief priests and the

192

Order of the Command'tnents

elders for rejecting the Gospel as preached

said unto

by John, he "Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom 01 (jrod before you. i? or J ohn came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might

them

believe him.^^

Mark

the fact, that Jesus

made

repentance

in order to faith.

Paul, acting under the immediate com-

mission and authority of Jesus Christ, laid

down
:

der in which he performed his mission, as follows

Acts 20
^^

the or" Testi-

^ 21.

fyino: o
*/

both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks.

y

repentance toward God, and faith toward our

Lord Jesus Christ.'^ Paul certainly understood the order commandments he preached the same order to Jews and Gentiles repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And it should be rememof these
;

bered, that in every passage in the entire Bible where re-

pentance and faith are mentioned together, repentance

is

and he who dares to change this order, incurs the anathema of Jesus Christ for preaching another Gospel. For the further discussion of this subject, the reader is referred to my book on Campbellism. This part of the Baptist order is fully sustained by the
always
first in

point of order

Scriptures.

We now
tism

proceed to examine the relative order of bap-

the third
it is

command

in this chain of obedience.

I be-

lieve that

generally admitted that the commission

all

given by Jesus Christ before his ascension, contains

the authority for the administration of baptism.

The ex-

ecution of the commission

is

Christ as his representatives on earth.

committed to the churches of The great com-

Tested by the
mission stands thus

(Bible.

193

" All power

is

given unto
,,

me

in

heaven and in earth.

Go
T
.

ye therefore,
.

and teach
the

all nations,

Ti

baptizing

them
all

m
.

Matt. 2S: 18,20.

name

of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

Holy

Ghost: teaching them to observe

:

things whatsoever I

have commanded you and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.^' " And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach ,^ , ^ , ^ ^ Mark 16 15, 16. i, \ -r/ the Gospel to every creature. He that
,

'

believeth

and

is

baptized shall be saved

but he that be-

lieveth not shall be

damned. ^^

By

the examination of this commission, as given

^'
:

by

Matthew and Mark, the items stand thus

First

Teaching or preaching. Second Belief or faith on the part of the taught. Third The baptism of the believer
in Christ.

Fourth

The teaching or instructing the

Christ.

dis-

ciples in all the

commandments of
is,

And,

lastly,

the promise of the Savior

to

be with those

who

thus ex-

Those who ecute his commission to the end of the world. change the order of faith before baptism, are not acting
under the commission of Jesus Christ neither have they the promise of the approval of the Master in this depart;

ure from his authority.

Those who invert the order of

baptism, place themselves upon a level with those

who

change the order of repentance and faith. And in the execution of the great commission by the apostles and
early Christians, they always required the profession of
faith before baptism.

On the day of
who had

Pentecost none were

repented and word of God. Nounbeliever has gladly received the word of God. of the Pentecostians were purified " by faith "
baptized except those
'gladly received
^^

the

The hearts
Acts 16
:

9.

194

Order of the Commandments.

before baptism.

And it is said of the Samaritans, that: "When they believed Philip preaching the
Christ, they

kingdom of God, and were baptized, both men and women.^^ Mark the fact, that the people of Samaria " believed '' before they were baptized. When the eunuch
things concerning the
the

name of Jesus

rs Acts 8: 37.

demanded baptism, then "Philip said, if thou

,

believest with all thy heart, thou mayest.

,.

,i

Once more:

it is

recorded, concerning the jailer, that he

all

"Rejoiced, believing in God, with

house."

his

And

in the case of all the other

household baptisms, there are circumstances mentioned

which go to prove that none were baptized except adults. There can no instance be found in the Scriptures deviating from the commission which requires faith in order to baptism. We now advance one step further in the
examination of the Baptist order of teaching
ance, faith, baptism,
question.

and the Lord's Supper

repentand ask the

introduce

Does the Bible

sustain the position that baptism

should precede the Lord's Supper?

the example of Jesus Christ,
instituted or partook of the

We

first

who was

baptized before he

supper with his disciples.

institution

Also, the apostles

had been baptized before the

of the supper.

And the commission itself fixes baptism as the first duty after believing with the heart; therefore, under the commission no one can commune before baptism. The communion, is one of those things which was to be observed after baptism.
Luke 22
^
,

The Savior

established the
:

com-

^r.

29 30.
'
'

r.r.

^^

mumou in his kingdom

me
;

for
.

he said,

"And

I appoint unto you a kingdom, as

my

Father hath appointed unto

that ye. may eat and drink

baptist Order of the

at
to

Commands.

195

and as baptism is essential kingdom, therefore baptism must, of necessity, precede the Lord's Supper, which is in the Lord's kingdom. In fact, there is no instance on Divine record where any unbaptized person ever approached the Lord's table. It was after the Pentecostean converts had been baptized and added to the church, that they " Continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." This breaking of bread, no doubt, had reference to the Lord's Supper ; therefore, none except the baptized in church fellowship have the right
in
;

my table

my kingdom

^'

membership

in the visible

to the Lord's table.

The
a

invitation of the unbaptized to

for the

the Lord's Supper

is

modern custom, gotten up

sake of popularity.

The Communion
chapter.

question will be discussed in another

We

sustained

have now seen that the third peculiarity is fully by Inspiration. The Bible teaches Repentance,

Faith, Baptism,

and

the

Lord's Supper, as the divine or-

der of these requirements.

Section
"

II. Peculiarity third the bible order OF repentance, faith, baptism, and the lord's supper identified with the present baptist teaching.
little

But
^liis

need be said in locating

this as a Baptis)

peculiarity,

from the fact that no other denomination claims Be it remembered that the Baptists are the only people who advocate the Bible order of the comorder.

mandments.

It

is

admitted that some Baptists recently,

196

Order of

the

Commandments.

England, have adopted the open commuDion custom of receiving the unbaptized to the communion', but they do not plead either Scripture precept or example
especially in
for

such a practice.

In order

to identify peculiarity third

it is

with the present Baptist practice,

tists as set

only necessary to

appeal to the united testimony of the great mass of Bapforth in their preaching

and writings.

Avill,

however, introduce a few authorities on this point.

tists to

In a Confession of Faith, presented by the English BapCharles IL, in article eleventh we have the followii^g "That the right and only way of Croshy'sHis.E.
^

Bapt.,

vol.

II,

gathering churches (according to Christ's

Ap., p. 81.

appointment. Matt, xxviii: 19, 20,) is first to teach or preach the Gospel (Mark xvi 16) to the sons
:

and daughters of men

and then

to baptize (that

is,

in

English, to dip) in the

Holy

Spirit, or in the

name of the Father, Son, and name of the Lord Jesus Christ,

such only of them as profess 7'epentance

faith toward our

toivaj^d God, and Lord Jesus QunstJ' And in article thirteenth of the same Confession, these persecuted Baptists

say: ^^That

it is

the duty of such,

who

are constituted as

aforesaid, to continue steadfastly in Christ's and the apostles'

doctrine,

and assembling together

ii
:

in fellowship, in

breaking of bread and prayers. Acts

Confession was signed by the

42."

The above
and ap-

London

Baptists,

proved by twenty thousand members.

They

firmly main-

tained the Bible order of repentance, faith, baptism, and

the breaking of bread, or the Supper, in fellowship after

baptism.
times of
Orch

We

are informed,
I.

King James
250.

by Mr. Orchard, that in the the English Baptists " Held that

Ru Bapt

repentance and faith must precede baptism

;

vol. II, p.

that the baptism of the

Church of

(Baptist

Order of

the

Commands.

197

England and the Puritans was

baptism was among them."

invalid, and that the true These English Baptists pre-

served the Bible order of these leading

commands

but

the American Baptists are more uniform in the entire

preservation of this order than their English brethren
for

respects the

some of the English ventured to violate the order as communion. Mr. Cramp, in his history of the Baptists, makes the
'

following statement of Baptist doctrine " deny sacramental power, maintain-

We

'^

^^

ing that the soul

fied,

is

renewed and sancti-

not by any outward act performed upon us or by us,

but by the truth of the Gospel and the grace of the Holy
Spirit.

that a

man
;

AYe gather from the teachings of the apostles, should he a Christian before he avows himself
and, in full accordance, as

to be one

instructions of the

New

Testament,

fellowship without a profession of

we believe, with the we admit none to our repentance toward God

Their baptism
is,

and faith
Savior,

in our

Lord Jesus

Chirst.

at

the same time, a declaration of their sole reliance on the

and a symbol of

their union with

him

in his death

and his resurrection

spiritual, vital union."

Mr. Cramp

here states the order of Baptist teaching. order of these commands.

Baptists, with

great uniformity, teach repentance and faith as the relative

And

that Baptists teach faith as a prerequisite to baptism

the general complaint of close

settles the point that

no one has ever denied and communion against Baptists

;

they hold baptism as necessary to

the lawful approach to the Lord's table.

We

have found

that the Baptists preserve the Bible order of the com-

God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ; the burial, in baptism, of
mandments
;

they teach repentance toward

198

Order of

the

Commandnients.
in the Supper, by

believers,

and the breaking of bread,

those in church fellowship.

Once more
lished,

In the Baptist Confession of Faith, pubfrom time to time, in England, and adopted by the
:

Philadelphia Association in 1742, and republished lately

in the Religious Denominations,
e.

by Joseph Belcher, we have the following ^^ Those who actually

:

enom., p.

pj^^f^gg

repentance toward God, faith

to,

in,

and obedience
Baptist order
is

our Lord Jesus, are the

only proper subjects of this ordinance^'

baptism.

The

only the Bible order of the commands.

(Baptist Succession.

199

CHAPTER

XI.

BAPTIST PECULIARITY FOURTH BURIAL IN BAPTISM OF THE DEAD TO SIN

1. 2.

Baptist Peculiarity Fourth tested by the Bible. Peculiarity Fourth identified in Present Baptist Teaching.
I.

Section

Baptist
immerse,
or

peculiakity fourth tested

bury with
be dead
to,

BY THE BIBLE.
Baptists
Christ

in

baptism,

only those

who profess

to

or freed from, sin.

Like the

others, this peculiarity belongs alone to Baptists.

fail to

All other denominations either

or baptize those
ners.

bury

in baptism,

whom

they admit to be unpardoned sin-

This will be seen when we come to examine the

I do not purpose to enter upon the disis

claims of others.
cussion of
in this

what

usually called the

will not,

"mode"

of baptism,

work.

It

however, be amiss at this

point to introduce a few Scripture proofs to sustain the

position that baptism
is

immersion, or a burial.

The meaning of the Greek word baptizo, which was used by the Savior to designate his command, ought forever to
settle the action

of baptism in every unbiased mind.

It

is

known

that
its

its

ordinary and primary meaning

is to

im-

merse, or

equivalent;

lexicon gives either

and that no standard Greek "' sprinkle " or "pour" as a meaning

all.

of the word baptizo at

It

is

absolutely impossible for

the ordinance of baptism to be three different and opposite

200

(Burial in (Baptism

actions.
to

If sprinkling

is

the falfillment of the ccramand

if

be baptized, then pouring and immersion are not;

is

pouring

the fulfillment of the

command, then sprinkling

and immersion are not; but if immersion is the fulfillment of the command to be baptized, then sprinkling and
pouring are not.
First:

My first

proof

is

based upon the example of the

baptism of Jesus Christ.

to the Scriptures;

The

notion that the Savior was

office, is

baptized to initiate him into his priestly

force of the

unknown

and was only invented to escape the example of the Son of God in favor of imreceived only one "

mersion.

The Savior
^

mode

''

of bap-

tism
HeO.
^x
,

therefore, his
.

example can not be plead

it

in favor of
:

2:1/.

three " modes.^^

^^

all

things

>

-ii IIbehooved nim

The

apostle said that

to be
1

" In

1T1 like made

make
left

unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful

High

Priest in things pertaining to God, to

reconciliation for the sins of the people.'^

disciples, his brethren, to

He

required his

be baptized; he, therefore,

his

example
required

to stimulate others in the discharge of duty.

ail,
;

He
to

be baptized

law in

in becoming members of the church, and he did not, therefore, violate his own becoming Head over all things to the church.

Several facts should be observed in connection with the

baptism of Jesus

firsty

he came to John the Baptist, the

only person in the world then authorized to administer baptism he did not receive " alien ^^ baptism ; second, in

order to be baptized, he went

river Jordan
;

down

into the water of the

third, after his baptism,

the water ; fourth, while in the water,

he came wp out of he was buried in

baptism

for

Paul says

" Therefore,

we

are

[were, aorist tense] buried with

him by bap-

Tested by the
tism into death

(Bible.

201

that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should
:

walk

in

newness of

life/^

In order

to avoid the force

of this passage, some have assumed the absurd position

that burial in baptism refers to conversion.

This would

involve the gross absurdity of the conversion of Jesus

Christ, thereby

making him a

sinner like other men.

Other modern
they, at the

critics

contend that the burial in baptism

;

Holy Spirit baptism and same time, admit that water baptism should be of the same mode as Holy Spirit baptism therefore, according to their own admission, water baptism must be a burial or immersion, in order to be of the same mode as Holy Spirit baptism, which they admit to be a burial or immersion. Then, it is a point made out, that Jesus Christ, whom we are commanded to follow, was immersed, or buried in baptism and as he only received and commanded "one baptism,^^ therefore, those who have not' been immersed, have neither received Christian baptism nor followed the example of Jesus in his ordinances. In regard to the baptism of Jesus, Dr. Macknight, a learned Presbyterian, says that Jesus " Submitted Baptist Manual. - -1 1 T, X to be baptized, that is, buried under the :^^ water by John, and to be raised out of it again, as an emblem of his future death and resurrection.^' Bishop Taylor, the learned Episcopalian, says: "The custom of the ancient churches was not
here mentioned, has reference to
;

J.1

^.^

'

, .

Bapt. Man.,

p. 18.

sprinkling, but immersion, in pursuance

of the sense of the word in the commandment, and the

example of our blessed Savior." John Calvin, the founder

of Presbyterianism, says that "Baptism ^ Bapt. Man., / -r T , 1 ^., was administered, by John and Christ, by
: .
.

p. 20.

202

(Burial in (Baptism:

plunging the whole body under the water.'^

We

might

multiply quotations to show that the most learned Pedobaptist scholars concede the point, that the baptism performed by John the Baptist and Jesus Christ was performed by immersion. Second: The places where baptism was performed indicate that
it

for sprinkling.
,^ Mark
,

^
:

o.

must have required more water than is used Mark says: "And there went out unto him all of the land of Judea, and they of ^ ^ Jerusalem, and were all baptized oi him m
.,
,

, ,

the River of Jordan, confessing their

sins.^^

Also

"And

was baptizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there was much water there and they came, and were baptized.'^ Thus we see, that in the time of Christ, baptism was performed in the river of Jordan, or where there was "much water"; and the people "came," were not brought, in order to be baptized. Third: Immersion is implied in the circumstances atalso

John

tending the baptism of the eunuch; for it is said that, " They went down into the water, both Philip and the

eunuch
Spirit of the

and he baptized him.

And when

they were come up out oi the water, the

Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more and he went on his way rejoicing." It will be observed, that both the administrator and candidate went down into the water, and after the baptism they came up out of the water, which would have been wholly unnecessary in the supposition that sprinkling was
:

performed.

it

Fourth: The design of baptism absolutely requires that must be performed by a burial, or an immersion. Bapis

tism

sometimes spoken of as being for the remission^ or

Tested by the
washing away of sins.

(Bible.

203

Ananias said to Saul " And now, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'^ Some have fallen into the egregious error, tliat baptism is literally for the remission or washing away of sins. It is evident, however, that we only wash away sins in baptism in the same sense that we eat the flesh and
:

why tarriest thou ?

arise,

drink the blood of Christ in the Supper.

the bread, "This
is is

Jesus said of

my body;"

and of the wine, "This

my blood."

And the

Catholic, in his superstition, takes

the language of Jesus literally, and, therefore, worships

the bread and wine a& the actual body and blood of Jesus;

and

in like manner,

some Protestants have taken those

therefore,

passages literally which speak of baptism as being for the

remission of sins

and they,
error,

as the condition of the actual pardon of sins.

fallen into the

same

on this

depend on baptism They have point, into which the

communion question. The and drink the blood of Jesus emblematically in the Supper, and likewise sins are washed away emblematically in baptism. But as we represent the w^ashing away of sins in baptism, how much of
Catholics have fallen on the
is,

truth

that

we only

eat the flesh

the subject should be w^ashed?

ture, entirely
sinful, in

Ashe

is,

in a state of na-

order to represent the washing

away of

sins,

the subject should have an entire washing,

Nothing less than an immersion will properly represent the washing away
a burial with Christ in baptism. of
sins.

to represent the burial

Once more: the prominent design of baptism is and resurrection of the dead. Paul introduced in his argument in favor of the resurrection,
Fifth:

baptism as a witness of the resurrection of the dead.

He

204

(Burial in (BaHism
"

90

^'^^^

^^^ what

shall they do,

which are

baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at

all.

Why

are they then baptized for the

dead?"

Paul introduced baptism here as a witness to prove the

resurrection of the dead
;

but as nothing except immersion

represents the resurrection, therefore, nothing except im-

mersion

is

the baptism for which Paul contended.

The

celebrated commentator. Dr. Clark, says on this passage:

" But as they received baptism as an em-'!\q^

0?
.,

i^ig^j^

Qf death in voluntarily going under

it

the water, so they receive

as an

emblem

of the resurrection unto eternal

w^ater.

coming up out of the Thus they are baptized for the dead in perfect
life

in

faith

of the resurrection."

It

is

evident that, as

tlie

Lord's Supper, as a monument, commemorates the sufferings

and death of Jesus Christ,

so baptism, as a

monu-

ment, commemorates, or shows forth, his burial and resur-

an individual has been spiritually crucisin, and is dead to, or freed from sin, he should be buried with Christ in baptism, and arise to walk in newness of life. This is
rection.
fied

When

with Christ, or killed to the love of

taught in Paul's" letter -to the Romans, where he asks

Rom.
^ ^ 6: 2-7.

"
,

How shall we

that are dead to sin, live any

t-

longer ^i therein

o
;

Know
we

^ ^i ! that so ye not,

many

of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, w^ere baptized

into his death ?

Therefere
:

are buried with

baptism into death

that like as Christ was raised

him by up from

the dead by the glory of the Father, even so

walk

in

newness of

life.

For,

if

we also should we have been planted

this,

together in the likeness of his death, w^e shall be also in

the likeness of his resurrection
:

Knowing

that our

old

man

is

crucified with him, that the

body of

sin

might

Tested by the

(Bible.

205

he destroyed, that henceforth we shall not serve

sin.

For

he that

is

dead

is

freed from sin/^

clearly taught, that

when
^^

the ^^old

From the above it is man is crucified with

him," and he becomes

dead to sin/^ that he that is dead is freed from sin, or pardoned and as death to sin must come ])efore baptism, therefore freedom from sin likewise
;

takes place before baptism.

It has ever been a funda-

mental doctrine with Baptists, to baptize none except they

have

first

professed faith in Christ, and to have received

the pardon of sins.

as one of the

Baptists regard baptismal salvation

main

pillars of popery.

ing a child of the devil in order to

The idea of baptizmake him a child of

God, is, to a Baptist, preposterous. That persons should be children of God, or freed from sin, before baptism, is proved from all those Scriptures which ascribe salvation and eternal life to faith in Christ.

One
T

quotation
T 1

is
.

sufficient:
T

"He
;

lievetn on

him

is is

not condemned

1111

that be-

_, John 3

18.

but he that

believeth not

believed in the

name

condemned already, because he hath not of the only begotten Son of God."
and believeth on him life, and shall not come into passed from death unto life."
:

And

" Verily, verily, I say unto you, he

that heareth

my word,
;

that sent me, hath everlasting

condemnation
unbeliever
is

but

is

Several facts are taught in these Scriptures

firsts

the

condemned, not

for

want of baptism, but be-

cause he hath not believed in the

;

name

of the only begotten

Son of God second, the believer is not condemned, and he must be a believer before baptism, therefore his condemnation is removed before baptism; thirdly the believer hath, in the present time, everlasting life, and as he
,

is

in possession of everlasting life before baptism, there-

206

(Burial in (Baptism.
he
freed from sin,

fore

is

and

is

a child of God, before

baptism ; fourth, the believer in Christ has already passed

and shall not come into condemnafreed from sin before baptism, because he has passed from death unto life before baptism. And if the pardon of sins does not really occur when one becomes a true believer in Christ, then a large part of
from death unto
;

life,

tion

therefore he

is

the

New

Testament can not be

is

true.

We

find that the

Baptist peculiarity fourth

fully sustained in the

Word

of God.

The Bible

teaches the burial with Christ in

to be

baptism only of those v)ho profess

froiUy sin.

dead

to,

or freed

Section
It

Peculiarity fourth identified in II. PRESENT BAPTIST TEACHING.

is

really unnecessary to introduce witnesses to prove

that Baptists universally teach immersion as the only

Scriptural action of baptism.

The editor of
is

the Keligious

Encyclopedia remarks on this subject: "That in the opinion of Baptists, baptism

the immersion

eigwm
p. 181.

ncyc.y
^^^

water of a suitable candidate, in the '

'^

name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The only suitable candidate is a person tr/?o has been born of the Sjnrit, and who is united to Christ by
faith.''

Again, the same author says

ordinance of Christ,
^

" In regard to this

they have ever held,'

^

eigwus

ncyc,

^^^^^ -^^^

Benedict, their historian,

that

a personal profession of faith, and an immersion in water, are essential to baptism.' " And in the

same work,

article twelfth of the Baptist Declaration of

Faith reads as follows:

"Of Baptism and the

Lord's

(Baptists oppose ^Baptismal Salvation.

'l^l

SUPPEE.

immersion

That r
in a

Christian baptism
^

is

the
xi

oi a believer in

^^

water, in the
.
.

j.

name of

the Father, Son, and Spirit; to

Beligious Encyc. ^ ' ^^^ P- 191.

Fhow forth

solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith

its

in

a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, with

purifying

power; that it is prerequisite to the privileges of a church relation and to the Lord's Supper, in which the members
;

of the church, by the use of bread and wine, are to com-

memorate together the dying love of Christ preceded always by solemn self-examination/^ In fact, no one has
;

ever accused the Baptists of holding anything less than an

immersion or burial in water

sons,
tists

for baptism.

But some pertherefore, a

through ignorance or prejudice, have accused the Bapwith teaching baptismal salvation
;

few

9ther proofs on this point will be given.

the Baptist historian, savs: "Baptism

is

Mr. Robinson, _
Ecci Res D
" "

AlI\

a relative institution, and all Christians

consider

it so.

Some think

it is

an institution connected
This
is

w^ith a profession of Christianity, and, of course, it is re-

lated only to temporal church fellowship.

the

opinion of Baptists.
sanctification,

Others suppose

it is

connected with

and the pardon of sin, and related to the and consequently that it is necessary to salThus we have the Baptist view, that while bapvation.^^ tism is a solemn duty enjoined upon every child of God as a prerequisite to church fellowship and communion, they do not regard it as essential to salvation. Joseph Belcher, speaking of Baptists, remarks that: " It is true that they regard baptism as an
future state,
essential ordinance of the Christian

Church, '
is

^^'

215, 216.

, t"''^''

^^

and that no one can be a member of that

church unless he be baptized.
It
also true that they

do

208

burial in (Baptism.
mode
of administering this ordinance

not regard any otlier

as valid or Scriptural, except immersion.

is

And
to

hence,

it

also true, that they refuse to

admit those

commune

with them, who, though baptized by sprinkling, have never been baptized by immersion. * ^ ^ -^ It is proper,
further, to remark, that Baptists

do not, as

is

sometimes
receive

erroneously asserted, regard baptism as possessing in itself

any
it.

irresistible influence in sanctifying those

who

outward sign of the inward change and not the means by which repentance and sanctification are produced." Baptists do not regard baptism In fact, the Baptists are the as the "means" of pardon. only denomination that performs baptism at all, which is
it

They regard
;

as the

not,

more or

less,

chargeable with the doctrine of baptismal

the seal of

salvation.

Catholics hold that the unbaptized are damned.

is

Protestant Pedobaptists hold that baptism

the covenant of graces

and the modern JRefonners make baptism regeneration itself, and essential to salvation but Baj)tists hold, as they have ever done, that none have a right to baptism till they are already pardoned and saved.
;

So, instead of holding baptismal salvation, the Baptists

teacii, that
tists

salvation from sin

is essential to

baptism.

Bap-

stand out in Christendom alone against the Komish

of baptismal salvation.
INIr.

dogma

This

is

a fundamental

doctrine with them.

Benedict shows the absurdity

of baptismal regeneration, on page 286 of the History of the Baptists.

Fifth Peculiarity tested by the

(Bible.

209

CHAPTER
KINGDOM.
1.

XII.

BAPTIST PECULIAEITY FIFTH EQUALITY IN THF

2.

Baptist Peculiarity Fifth tested by the Bible. Peculiarity Fifth identified in present Baptist teaching.
I.

Section

Baptist peculiaeity fifth tested by

THE bible.
Baptists recognize equal rights or privileges in the execution of the laws of the

kingdom of Jesus

Christ.

Perfect religious liberty has been one of the landmarks

of the Baptist denomination in every period of

its

history.
all

We have

been regarded with jealousy and suspicion by

despotism.

the despotic rulers of earth, because our principles tend to

the overthrow of
liberty advocated
fere
all

This perfect religious

by

Baptists, does not in the least inter-

with any

political or social relations

which are

or-

dained of God.
Is the Baptist doctrine of
^'

soul liberty " and religious

equality in the churches of Christ, sustained by the Bible?

The prophecy concerning

the mission of John, who introduced the Gospel dispensation, indicates the equality ad-

vocated by Baptists. Of John^s mission, the Lord said " The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness. Prepare ye the w^ay of the Lord,
* '

make

straight

in the desert

Every valley

shall be exalted,

highway for our God. and every mountain and

210

Eqtiality in the

Kingdom:
shall be

hill shall

be made low

and the crooked

places plain/^

made

straight,

indicates the

This prediction and the rough grand mission of the kingdom of heaven, in

leveling, in a religious point of view, the

human

family.

The kings and

nobles of earth are to be brought down, and

the poor, lame, halt,

and blind, are

to be raised to the

dignity of fellow-citizens with the saints in the

kingdom

of God.
Since the
fall

of man, there has ever rankled in his bo-

som the

spirit of pride,

which prompts him

to seek the

opportunity to usurp authority over his fellow men.

And
of

even Christians are not entirely free from this

Antichrist.

spirit

The

apostles themselves

had

strife

among
But

them

as to

which should be accounted the

greatest.

Jesus firmly rebuked the very first buddings of this spirit " But Jesus called them to him, and of error, as follows
:

,^

-.

.r.

.^

..

saith unto them,

Ye know that they which

their great ones exercise

are accounted to rule over the Gentiles,

exercise lordship over them;

and

it not be among you but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your min-

authority upon them.

But

so shall

ister;

and whosoever of you

will be the chiefest, shall be

servant of all."

And

just before the Savior's death, he

repeated the same lesson of instruction to his disciples, as

Luke 22:
;

C.C.

r.-

r..

followsi
,
.

"
,

25, 26.

kings 01 the Gentiles exercise lordship over

Aud ^

lic
.,

sald unto them, the

.,-,,.

them and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve." How daring must be that pride that, in the face of these instructions, would prompt
:

any one to claim the pre-eminence, or usurp authority

Tested by the
over his brethren
It
is

(Bible.

211

almost universally admitted, that

the churches of Jesus Christ are the executives of his king-

dom, appointed
if this position

to execute the laws of the

King.

Now,

be correct, then

all

the

members of each

church are authorized to participate in the transaction of

business, unless

the

Word

of

some of them are expressly prohibited by God; but no class of church members are

prohibited from a participation in the transaction of business; therefore, all the

members are authorized

:

to act in

the transaction of business.

But the question may be asked

or elders possess
superior

"

Do

not the ministers

rule

authority to

over

the

kingdom ? " It is very important that Ave should understand the meaning of the New Testament ruling by the elders or pastors of
churches, and execute the laws of the

the churches.
all

This

New

Testament ruling

is

not to do

the voting, and transact all the business of a church in

matters of discipline, hut to give them meat in due season; for Jesus " The Lord said, who then is that
faithful

and wise steward

whom
?^^

his

Lord
them
their

shall

make
'^

ruler over his household, to give

portion of meat in due season

these
rulers
^^

The Lord has made

over his house, not to decide cases of dis-

cipline,

but

to

give them their portion of meat in due season.

.

He
,

and. lambs.

has appointed them to feed his sheer) '^ , , T P o It is further evident, irom the
1 1

John 21:

^,

^^

16.

language of Peter, that the elders of the churches are to

by advice and example, and not by deciding cases of discipline. Peter said " The elders which ^ are among you I exhort, who am also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a
rule
:

partaker of the glory that shall be revealed

feed the

212

Equality in the

Kingdom:
you, taking the oversight

flock of

God which
by

is

among
;

thereof, not

constraint, but willingly; not for liithy

neither as being lords over lucre, but of a ready mind God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.''

Thus we

find that the elders are to rule hy examjjh

and

by feeding the flock of Christ.

different gifts or offices in

Whatever may be the the Church of Christ, no memfact that the ministers or

ber has a right to claim the pre-eminence in the execution of the laws of Christ.

The very

elders are chosen or ordained

by the churches, proves that

office.

they are inferior in point of authority to the churches

which have invested them with the ministerial

churches
;

The

apostles themselves only claimed to be servants of the

^

for

Paul said

''
:

We

preach not
;

ourselves, but Christ Jesus the

ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake."

to

Lord and The only way

become great in the kingdom of Jesus, is to be a great Every minister is equal in point of privilege with every other member of the church but, as a minister in his official capacity, he is subject to, and inferior to the church. His individual acts or decisions have no more binding force than those of any other member. It appears, from the Scriptures, that all the true members of
servant.
;

the churches in the

kingdom

of Christ, have equal priv:

ileges in the following particulars

bers of the
free
T h

First: The true memkingdom of Christ have been made equally

sin.

from the bondage of

R'\P,

Jesus said

" If the Son,

therefore, shall
free indeed."

make you

free,

ye shall be

And

this

spiritual

freedom
free.

applies to all classes, male

and female, bond and

Second: They are all equally the children of God; the " For ye are all the children of God by apostle says
:

Tested by the
faith in Jesus Christ.
,
,

(Bible.

213

For
.

as

many
-

of you

as liave been baptized nito Clirist,

There is on Christ. neither bond nor free,

have put neither Jew nor Greek, there is there is neither male nor female

r^^

CrClL

*.

o/. on 26-29.

for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the

promise."

Thus we

find, that all true

members of the

church are equally the children of God, and equal heirs

according to the promise, without any reference whatever
to sex or position in society.

Third: All the true

memwritit
,
:

bers of the churches of Christ have the laws of

ten in their hearts,
said
.

God
;

and therefore know Christ

for
,

is

" They shall not teach every

*^

man
-,

his

^^

neighbor, and every

ing.

man
:

^eb' 8

11.

his brother, say-

Know

the

Lord

for all shall

know me, from

the

least to the greatest.''

Some

object to servants possessing the right to vote in

the church, on the ground that they are under the jurisdiction of others,
actions.

and have no right

to control their

own
fact

This

is

an unscriptural inference, from the

that no

human
it

laws or regulations can interfere with our

and obligations to Jesus Christ. On the same might be plead that slaves have no right to be baptized or receive the Lord's Supper While it is true, that Christianity did not change the relations of master and slave, for the servant was commanded to abide in the service of his master under the strongest obligation of strict obedience, yet no earthly master ever had the right
relations

principle

to control his servants in matters of religion, or interfere

with his duties in the worship of God.

cided upon this point
;

he says

'^

Paul is very deLet ^ -

every

man

abide

in

the

same

calling

214
wliereiu he

Equality in the
was
:

Kingdom:
being a servant?
use
it

called.

Art

tliou called

Care not

for it
is

but

if

thou mayest be

free,

rather.
is

For he
is

that

called in the Lord, being a servant,

:

the

Lord^s free

man

likewise also he that

is

called being free,

;

Christ's servant.

Ye

are bought with a price

be not

ye the servants of men.

Brethren,

let

every man, wherein

he

is

called, therein abide

that the servant

man," and

is

with God." Thus we learn, who is called of God, "is the Lord's free commanded to be not the servant of men in
;

matters of religion

yet he

is

required to abide as a serv-

ant to his master, unless he

may

be free lawfully.

And

the apostle Paul said to Philemon, of one of these servants,

Onesimus, who had escaped from his master

, Fhilemon, lo-17.
^^,
.,

" For per-

-,.

haps he therefore departed for a season,

that thou snouidst receive

,,

iii

c him lorever;

not

now

as a servant,

but above a servant, a brother be-

loved, especially to me, but

how much more unto

thee,

both in the flesh,

and

in the

therefore a partner, receive

Lord ? If thou count me him as myself." Mark you,

Paul sent
that

this servant to his master, " a brother beloved,'*

Paul himself. Are we to infer from this Onesimus should have no right to vote in the church, because he was not his own master in worldly aifairs? And, if so, may we not infer that Paul himself, while a " prisoner " in " bonds," had no right to vote in the church, because he was not a free man in worldly matThe truth of the matter is this, we are only under ters ?
to be received as

obligation to obey the political powers that be, in political affairs

;

and whether we are bond or

free,

male or

fe-

male,

when

those powers interfere with our duty to God,

we should say, with the apostles "We ought to obey God rather than men."
:

Tested by the
Another objection
in the
is

(Bible.

215

urged

to this principle of equality

kingdom of

Christ, on the supposition that minors

or children, subject to their parents, have no right to participate in the transaction of

church business.

This ob-

jection, like the former, in the case of servants, is not

based upon any Scripture prohibiting them from the transaction of business, but

upon the

fact that they, like slaves,

are under the control of others, and

upon

their supposed

incompetency to perform such duties.

eligibility to vote in the transactions of

If the question of

church business

is

to be decided by one^s majority, or freedom from his

parents according to political laws, then in some gov-

ernments persons would be eligible to transact church

business

much younger than

;

in others;

and the Jewish

Christians were not eligible to vote in church affairs until

were subject to their and worse still, it would make the duty of some members, in the worship of God, depend upon the caprice and even injustice of human laws. But if this question is to be determined by the supposed competency or incompetency of the church members, then quite a number of the male members who are
they were thirty years old
for they
;

parents, at least, until that age

of age will be found, at least in the estimation of our wise

brethren, to be wholly incompetent to vote in the church.

Then who will decide upon the competency of the members to transact church business ? Whenever it is proved that any class of members have no right to assist in the transaction of church business, then
it will have been proved have no right to church membersbij, a I all. The objection which is urged against the voting in the church of servants, minors, and women on the ground that they have no right to rule over masters, pa-

that the

same

class

216

Equality in the

Kingdom:
;

and husbands, does not touch the question for the same argument would prove that masters, fathers, and husbands have no right to vote in church, because they, no more than the others, have the right to rule over servants, children and wives in matters of religion. Jesus Christ In the execution of the laws of is the sole Ruler in Zion. Christ in the transaction of church business, no church has a right to deviate from the laws of Christ; and if any
rents,

action of a church comports with the

New

Testamant,

then

it

is

not the church ruling, but only executing an

order of the Ruler.

But

if

laws of Christ in

its

action, that action is null

any church deviates from the and void,

and binding on no one. But the objection which opposes the participation of

women
more
lic

in the business transactions of the churches is of

serious import,

from the

fact that all

admit that there

in the pubwhat particular acts these restrictions apply, is the point in question. Paul said to the Corinthians ^^ Let vour women

are restrictions regulating the duties of

women

meetings of the churches.

But

to

1 Cor. 14: 34,35.

keep silence

.,

m
:

.,,,%..
:

the churches; lor

it is

not

permitted unto them to speak

will learn anything, let

but they are commanded to

be under obedience, as also saith the law.

And
at

if

they

them ask

their

husbands

home

for
1

it is

a
:

shame
.

for

w^omen to speak in the church. ^^ " Let

Tim. 2

^ 11, 12.

the
.

woman

jection.

^ But

learn in silence with all subi suner not

woman

to

man, but to be in This strong language of the apostle Paul mi^st silence.^^ certainly restricts women from tJie exercise of certain But are w^e to duties or privileges belon^ng to men. infer from this, that women are debarred from the exercise
teach, nor to usurp authority over the

Tested by the
of

(Bible.

217

I think not; for the all church duties aud privileges? same apostle, in the same letter to the same church, whero he forbids women to speak in church, gives the following
directions relative to the duties of

women

" But every

woman

that prayeth or prophesieth with

hei head uncovered, dishonoreth her head

for that is even all one as if she

were shaven.
:

For
but

if the

woman
a

be not covered,
for a

let

her also be shorn

if it
let

be

shame

be covered.
but the

woman to be shorn or For a man indeed ought

is is

shaven,

her

not to cover his

head, forasmuch as he

the image and glory of

God
this

woman

the glory of the man. * * ^

to

For
:

cause ought the

woman

have power on her head, beis

it

cause of the angels. * ^ ^ Judge in yourselves

God uncovered? Doth nature itself teach not even you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him ? But if a woman have long
comely that a
unto
hair,
it is. a

woman pray

glory to her; for her hair

is

given her for a

In the foregoing, the apostle certainly allows women to pray and prophesy in the churches on certain
covering.^^

conditions
apostle

for it can not be reasonably

supposed that the

was giving instruction

to the

church relative to

secret prayer, or private teaching.

The woman who prays

or prophesies in church, must do so with her head covered, or vailed

;

while the

man

praying or prophesying in the

I suppose

church, should do so with his head uncovered.

that the power on her head because of aTwels, alludes to the

token of submission (which was her vail and long hair)

to her
to

husband; and because of

^^

the angels,

I understand

mean

before, or in the presence of, the angels.

We

also

learn that

Philip, the evangelist,

which was

one of the seven," "had four daughters,

218

Eqii'Jility

in the Kingdom.

virgins,

which did prophesy." Philip, the evangelist, who with the Holy Spirit, permitted his four virgin was daughters to prophesy, or teach publicly and Paul allowed
filled
;

women
to

to

pray and prophesy, with their heads covered, in

;

and yet he requires women not to speak, but Does Paul contradict himVerily not therefore, we conclude that under some self? circumstances women may teach and pray in the congreAnd I suppose, gation, and under others they must not. from the connection, that the women are required not to
the church

keep silence in the churches.

;

speak

in

church

controversies

on litigated

questions.

But

that she

may speak
is

or teach in the church, under

some circumstances,
be done.

evident from

the fact that the

in

apostle gives directions as to the

manner

which

it-

should

But the question

see,

Avhether

women

should, or

should not, teach publicly in the churches, has no bearing

whatever, that I can
lege of

upon the question of the

privi-

women

to aid in the transaction of

church busipressed
to

ness by casting their lots, or voting.

Some have

this objection so far that they affirm that for a

woman

would amount to speaking, because raise "actions speak louder than words"! But this objection would lie with equal force against the duty of women
to vote,

her hand

confessing their faith in Christ, being baptized, uniting

with the church, or even going to the house of God at all. Again, the question is asked, " Should not religious women be willing to trust their husbands and fathers to transact

them in voting?" This would make the husbands and fathers occupy the
the business of the church, or act for
place of god-fathers for their wives and daughters.

This
proxy.

would be sponsorial

religion

worshiping

God by

Then, why not the husband and father be baptized, and

May Women
receive the LorcVs Supper^

Vote in Ch^irch ?

219

and perform

all

other religious

duties, instead of his wife or daughters ?

The worship

of

God

requires individual

and personal obedience.

No

one

can perform a religious act in lieu of another.

Another objection arises on the score of delicacy that some questions come before churches unsuitable for ladies The same objection is urged against ladies being to hear. immersed for it is alleged to be indecent. Questions of religious duty are not to be settled by the fictitious delicacy of modern times. The only question should be, " What is truth ? '^ in matters of religion. And more it
;
:

is

not always absolutely necessary for the congregation to

all the details of evidence in cases of church trial. In the case of the incestuous man in the church at Corinth, it was not necessary to enter into all the details; but Paul announced the fact of the man's guilt, and the church excluded him. Not many worse cases than this are likely to occur in the history of church trials. And the very same objections are urged sometimes against reading the Scriptures, that the Bible contains some things too deliBut enough of this it is absolutely cate for them to read

hear

certain that the churches of Christ are constituted the depositories of truth,

and are under obligation

to act in the

execution of the laws of Christ; but

nized in the Scriptures as church

women
;

are recog-

members

therefore^

wo-

men

are authorized to participate in the execution of the

laws of Christ, or in the transaction of church business.

Fourth: All the members are equal as to the term?

of their reception into church fellowship
in baptism, in order to church membership.
;

they are

all

required to repent, believe in Christ, and he buried with him

Fifth:

The members

of the true churches of Christ

220

Equality in the Kingdo'^n.

and exclu-

are equal in privilege and duty, in the trial

sion of disorderly persons.

Jesus himself has laid

down
if

the law

upon

this point

for

he says

^^
:

Moreover,

thy

brother shall trespass against thee, go and

tell

him

his fault

alone

if

he shall hear thee,

between thee and him thou hast gained thy brother.

But

if

he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or

two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect
to hear them, tell
Ject to
it

unto the church

let

but

if

he neg-

hear the church,

a publican."

him be unto thee

:

as a heathen
is,

man and
rulers;

Mark
is

the

command

to tell the

grievance ^'unto the church," not to a certain class of

and the offender

is

required to ^4iear the church,"

not a class of self-appointed judges in the church.

The

church

composed of

all its

members
any

and

as there are

no

restrictions for or against

class, therefore

we must
is

come

to the irresistible conclusion that the

church means
a

the church, the local

assembly of which the offender

member.

But

if this

command

ever comports with the

of church government now being advocated by some of the brethren, it will have to be reconstructed, or

new views

translated so as to read as follows

"

And

if

he shall neg-

lect to hear them, tell it unto the male members of the church over twenty-one years of age but if he shall neglect to hear the male members of the church over twenty:

one years of age, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican." That it was the duty of the church, not a part only,
to act in the exclusion of

members,
" In the

is

seen in the advice

of the apostle Paul to the church at Corinth,

'as

follows

name of our Lord

May Women
Jesus Christ,
Spirit,

Vote in

Church?
and

Tl\

when ye

are gathered together,

my

with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver

flesh,!

such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the

that the spirit
sus.

may

be saved in the day of the Lord Je-

* ^ ^

'i^

Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye

may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.'^ Mark the fact, that it was the church, not a part of it, which was directed
to

purge out the old leaven by delivering the offender to

Satan

viz:

excluding him.

Sixth:

Church members

are equal in their privilege

reception of members.

and duty

in the restoration or

Paul, in his second letter to the

Corinthians, advised them concerning the excluded

ber, as follows
this
'^
:

mem-

Sufficient to such a

man

is

punishment, which Avas inflicted of many.

So

that, contrariwise, ye
lest

ought rather to forgive him, and

comfort him,

perhaps such a one should be swalloAved

up with overmuch sorrow.'' It will be observed that his punishment or exclusion "was inflicted of many" the church; and it was the church which was directed to forgive him." Seventh : The church members were equal in the privilege and duty in choosing their officers. Even

in the election of an apostle to

fill

the place vacated

by

Judas, they, the disciples, among whom were women, " Gave forth their lots and the lot fell upon
:
.

Matthias; and he was numbered with the

eleven apostles."

Now,

if all the disciples in the

congre-

gation gave forth their lots in a matter so important as the election of an apostle,

we may

safely conclude that

less momembers were

they had the right to do the same in matters of

ment.

Also, in the election of deacons the

;

equal in privilege

for,

when

the question of the deaconit

ship was introduced by the apostles,

is

written that,

222

Equality in the Kingdom.

'^The saying pleased the whole multitude: and they

man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Xicanor, and Timon, and Parmeuas, and Nicholas, a proselyte of Antioch/^ Does the whole multitude who choose the deacons, only mean the male members over thirty years of age? Eighth: The members of the apostolic churches were equal in privilege and duty in sending out delegates or messengers to promote the interests of a cause; the church at
chose Stephen, a

Jerusalem sent delegates to xVntioch to

settle
''
:

the dispute

about circumcision.

It
^

is

recorded thus
,
,

Then pleased
.. ,
.

Ads

it

the apostles and elders, with the whole

,

15:

22.

cnurcn, to send chosen

men

oi

their
:

own

company to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among
the

brethren."

"

The whole church

in choosing

" acted with the

to

apostles

and elders

and sending messengers

Antioch.
*

And
"
'

aries.

the same was true in sending out missionPaul says " Whether any do inquire
:

of Titus, he
;

is

my

partner and fellow-helper

of,

concerning you

or our brethren be inquired

they are

the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ."

class in the churches,

out.

These missionaries were not messengers of a privileged but of the churches which sent them
It
is

now

fully settled that the

memership

in the
all

churches of Christ are privileged to participate in

church transactions.

The doings

of a certain class in a

church can not properly be called church actions.

(Baptists

for Liberty of Conscience.

223

Section II. Peculiarity fifth identified with PRESENT BAPTIST DOCTRINE.

The
liberty

Review, by Joseph Belcher,

is

following sentiment, as quoted from the Christian " Religious is eminently true
:

a Baptist watch-word, a kind of talisman, which

operates like a charm, and nerves every

Whatever shades of
vailed

difference in opinion

man for action.'' may have pre-

among

Baptists on minor questions, they have ever

been perfectly agreed in this peculiarity.

Christ.

They claim no King, Lord, or Ruler, over the conscience, except Jesus
Baptist sentiments on this point are clearly ex:

pressed in the Religious Encyclopedia, as follows

also,
.
,
,

" Hence,
Encyc,
-^
'

they reject
,

all

claims of the civil

mag1

istrate to

-1 X T Xany but civil lurisdiction

1
.

xi
;
.

thouMi
.

Relict ious
^-;_

willing and peaceful subjects to civil authority,

P- 188-

where the rights of conscience are not involved. Hence, in every age, their strong attachment to liberty,
were
first to

especially to religious liberty; these principles they

the

proclaim, and the

first

also to exemplify.

Their

principles
age,

have subjected them

to persecution

and

to such principles they

from age to have counted it a glory

flow^n freely,

to be martyrs.

Though

their

own blood has

is

they have never shed the blood of others.

persecution of any kind, on their principles,

Indeed, civil
impossible.'^

Not only
lists

in this country, but throughout the world,

Bap-

have borne unflinching testimony to this doctrine of In the adequality of privilege in the worship of God. vertisement to the Tracts on Liberty of Conscience, published
it is

by the Hanserd Knolly's Society, " In the prospectus of the Hanserd Knolly's Society, it was stated
stated that
:

^f^^

^^^^

'

^-^

224

Equality in the Kingdom.

^

belong the honor of first asserting and of establishing on the immutable basis of just argument and Scripture rule, the right of every
that
to the Baptists

in this land,

man

to

worship
J.

only to divine

God as conscience dictates, in submission command/ ^^ And, on the same subject.

:

Elder

umn

R. Graves expresses himself in the standing col" All standard historians of his paper, as follows
vested in the

unanimously affirm that the government of the apostolic

churches Avas purely democratiG (that
is,

people or membership), and all the churches independent

republics.

All religious societies have legislative powers, and clerical or aristocratical governments (that is, in the hands of the clergy or a few as a session,) are anti-scriptural and anti-republican tyrannies which no Christian

can lawfully countenance, or republican freeman ought to

support,"
etc.
:

Mr. Graves, in the standing column of the Bap" That a body of immersed believers is the highest ecclesiastical authority in the world, and the only
Again
tist,

says

tribunal for the trial of cases of discipline

that the acts

of a church are of superior binding force over those of an

association, convention, council, or presbytery
;

and no

association or convention can impose a moral obligation

upon the constituent parts composing them."

Mr. Orchard, the Baptist historian, says of the Baptists " They are a people very fond of religious ^^ liberty, and very unwilling to be brought j^' 27.-*' under the bondage of the judgment of
'

any."

This fondness for religious liberty among Baptists

has generally inclined them to favor a republican form of

government in the state. Such was the force of Baptist influence brought to bear in the forma ti(jn of the Ameri-

(Baptists

for Liberty of Conscience.

225
^'

can government, that the Baptist doctrine of " soul liberty

was eustamped upon the government in such a manner that both religious and political liberty has been secured We do to a continent through Baptist instrumentality. not mean to teach that none except Baptists were in favor of these glorious principles. Many others embraced the same sentiments with the Baptists, and stood firm in their support against every foe; but it is a historic fact that Baptists have ever understood and advocated the doctrine of liberty of conscience; and it is certain that they took the lead, both in England and America, in the cause of free-

dom.

The German

philosopher, Gervinus, speaking of

the Baptist principles of liberty advocated

by Roger Wil:

" In acBoger Williams insisted, in Massachusetts, upon I^eligious Dcnom. ,, , , p p. 153; quoted by / allowing entire ireedom oi conscience, and ^^i^j^^^ upon entire separation of the church and state. But he was obliged to flee, and in 1636 he formed in Rhode Island a small and new society, in which perfect freedom in matters of faith was allowed, and in which
liams and others in

Bhode Island
principles,

colony, says

cordance
.

with

these
1

the majority ruled in all civil affairs.

State, the

Here, in a

little

fundamental principles of

astical liberty practically

and ecclesiprevailed, before they were even

political

taught in any of the schools of philosophy in Europe.

democratical experiments
eligibility to office, the

At

that time people predicted only a short existence for these

universal

suffrage, universal

annual change of rulers, perfect

Miltonian doctrines of schisms.

religious

freedom

the

But not only have these ideas and these forms of government maintained themselves here, but precisely from this
little

State have they extended themselves throughout the

226

Equality in the Kingdom.

States.

They have conquered the aristocratic New York, the High Church in Virginia, the Theocracy in Massachusetts, and the Monarchy in all America. They have given laws to a contiUnited
tendencies in Carolina and
nent, and, formidable through their moral influence, they
lie

at the bottom of all the democratie

movements which

ai-e

now shaking the nations of Europe.'^ Though Roger Williams was not fully a Baptist, he advocated the Baptist doctrine of "soul liberty,'^ for

banished from Massachusetts.

Anabaptists.

which he was persecuted and As soon as he began to protrue, as stated

claim this doctrine, he was charged with the heresy of the

While

it

is

by Gervinus,

that the principles of religious and civil liberty were established in E-hode Island '^before they were taught in any of the schools of philosophy in Europe,^^ it is also true that the Baptists of England had suffered, long prior to

the time of Williams, for the advocacy of the same principles.

It

is

an error into which some have

first to

fallen,

who

suppose that Williams was the

advocate the doc-

trine of entire freedom of conscience in matters of religion.

In

this quotation

we have

the fact brought out that these

to

Baptist principles "have given laws

continent^'^

and

are "shaking the nations of Europe^' by their moral pjower.

The

love of religious

and

civil liberty

induced the early

Washington in the American independence. President Washington acknowledged the services of the Baptists in Ihe
Baptists of this country to side with

struggle for

time of the Revolution of Seventy-six;

for, in

answer

to

the letter of the "Virginia Baptists, congratulating

leigious

him

on his honors, he replied that the deuomenom.,

jn^^^Qj^

jjjjyg

]^(sqii

throughout America

uniformly, and almost unanimously, the

baptists for Liberty of Conscience.

227

firm friends of civil liberty, and the persevering promoters

of the glorious Eevoliitiou/

^'

This

is

the testimony of

the renowned George Washington, that the Baptists in the

revolutionary struggle were on the side of liberty.

this

And

has been true of Baptists in

all ages.

Up

to the time

of the achievement of American liberty, as the result of

the Revolution, State religion was established in the most

of the colonies except

Rhode

Island.

Baptists wxre taxed,

imprisoned, and whipped, because of their advocacy of religious liberty, in preaching contrary to the laws regulating
religion.

But, from the very

first,

they

made

deterinined

efforts to secure full liberty to

worship

God

according to
this

the dictates of conscience.

They did not merely ask

liberty for themselves, but they plead for perfect religious

liberty to all.

In the

first

Continental Congress, which

was held

in 1774, in Philadelphia, the Baptists sent their

messengers to memorialize Congress by beseeching them

to "secure at once the recognition of the inallenahle 7'ights

of conscience.'^

And though

nothing could then be accom-

plished, yet, at the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts,

grievances through Isaac Backus

which met in the same year, the Baptists laid in their and they succeeded in
;

securing the following resolution, as given by Mr. Curtis

"

"In Provincial Congress, December On reading the memorial of Rev. Isaac

government,

9,

1774.

Backus, agent of the Baptist churches in

this

^y'^''' ^^^^'

" Resolved, That the establishment of civil and religious

liberty to each denomination in the province,
vvisli

is

the sincere

of this Congress; but being, by no means, vested with

civil

powers of

government, whereby they can redress the

228

Equality in the Kingdom.

grievances of any person whatever, they, therefore, recom-

mend

to the Baptist churches, that

when a general assem;

bly shall be convened in this colony, they lay the real

grievances of said churches before the same

when and

where their petition

attention due to

most certainly meet with all that the memorial of a denomination of ChrisAvill

tians so well disposed to the public

weal of their country.

"

By

order of the Congress.

"John Hancock,

President.''

Accordingly, the Baptists memorialized the next session of the Massachusetts Legislature (1775).
so,

In doing

they said

"

Our

real grievances are, that we, as well

from time to time, been taxed, on where we were not represented, and our For a civil causes have been tried by interested judges. Legislature to impose religious taxes, is, we conceive, a poivcr which their constituents never had to give, and, therefore, going entirely out of their jurisdiction, "We are persuaded that an entire freedom from being taxed by civil rulers to religious worship, is not a mere favor from any man or men in the world, but a right and property granted us by God, who commands us to stand fast in it. We should wrong our consciences by allowing that power to men which we believe belongs only to God.'' Although but little Avas accomplished at this time, the
as our fathers, have, religious accounts,

Baptists continued to plead the cause of liberty of conscience before the various Legislatures
gress, until religious liberty

and before Conthrough-

was

fully established

out the United States.

have, more or
less,

Members of
country; but

other denominations
it

advocated religious liberty since

became popular

in this

when

liberty of con-

(Baptists

for Liberty of Conscience.

its

229

science

was unpopular, and

adherents Avcre called often

to suffer for their views, there

was found no denomination except the Baptists to stand up boldly in favor of this boon of Heaven religious liberty. True, some individuals among other parties arose above their systems, and

advocated a partial liberty of conscience, or a toleration.

But Baptists have understood the

liberty

principle of religious
lies

from the

first,

because this doctrine

It
is

at the
fact

foundation of the Baptist system.

an interesting

American We have the following account of the impressions made on the mind of President Jefferson, by attending a Baptist church:
that the true idea of a free constitution for the

Government was derived from the

Baptists.

*'

Many

of the Baptists are of opinion that

their system oi church

government had

'

^^^

somewhat

to

do with the foundation of

;

the Constitution of these United States

and

tell

us that

the late Rev. Dr. Fishback, of Lexington, Kentucky, a few

years since,

made

the following statement, which he re-

ceived from the late Bev.

Andrew

Tribble,

who

died at

about the age of ninety-three years.

pastor of a small Baptist church, near

Mr. Tribble was Mr. Jefferson's res-

idence, in the State of Virginia, eight or ten years before

the American Bevolution.

Mr. Jefferson attended the

meetings of the church for several months in succession,

and; after one of them, asked the Avorthy pastor to go

home and

dine with him, with which request he complied. Mr. Tribble asked Mr. Jefferson how he was pleased with their church government. Mr. Jefferson replied, him that its propriety had struck with great force, and had greatly interested him adding, that he considered it the only form of pure democracy which then existed in
;

Equality in the Kingdom.

the world,

and had concluded that

it

would be the

best

plan of government for the American colonies.

This was

several years before the Declaration of Independence."

From

this it appears that

Mr.

Jefferson, the framer of the

Constitution, gathered his idea of ^^pure democracy" from

a Baptist church.

To my mind,
is

it

is

evident that the

doctrine of religious liberty, incorporated in the American

Constitution and Government,

to Baptist influence.

attributable,

under God,

It

is

no

idle

dream

to announce, that

Baptist principles have given liberty to a continent.

Even

had the opportunity of pecuniary support from the state, they have firmly rejected it as con-

when

Baptists have

trary to their fundamental principles of religious liberty.

This

is

illustrated
enom.,
^
-^

by the conduct of the Georgia Baptists,

reported as follows:
eigious
p. Ibo.

"In February,

1785,

^ writer in the third

volume of the
for the estab-

CJunstian Review,

^A law

lishment and support of religion, was passed in Georgia,

through the influence of the Episcopalians.

all

It

embraced
;

denominations, and gave

all

equal privileges
it

but in

May, the
repealed.

Baptists remonstrated against

sent two mes-

it was In both ministers and members, they were much more numerous than any other denomination. Their preachers might have occupied every neighborhood, and lived upon the public treasury but, no they knew that Christ's kingdom is not of this world; and believed that any dependence on the civil power for its support, tends to corrupt the purity and pristine loveliness of religion. They, therefore, preferred to pine in poverty, as many of them did, and prevent an unholy marriage between the Church of Christ and the civil authoritv. The overthrow
;
;

sengers to the Legislature, and in the next session

(Baptists

for Liberty of Conscieiice.

is

231

of the above-named odious laws

to

be attributed to
first

tlieir

unremitting efforts

they generally struck the

blow,

If is

and thus inspired other sects with their own intrepidity. owing to their sentiments, chiefly, as the friends of
no law abridging the freedom of
is

religious liberty, that

thought or opinion touching religious worship,

force to disgrace our statute books.
that,

now

in

It

is

not here asserted

but for their

efforts, a

system of persecution, cruel

of England, or Catharine

and

relentless as that of

Mary

de Medici of France, would have obtained in these United

States
;

but

is

asserted that the Baptists have successfully

lib-

propagated their sentiments on the subject of religious

erty, at the cost of suffering in property, in person, in limb,

and

in

life.

Let the

sacrifice

be ever so great, they have

always freely made

it,

in testimony of their indignation

against laws which would fetter the conscience.

Their op-

position to tyranny was implacable, and it mattered not whether the intention was to tax the people without representation, or to give to the civil magistrate authority to

by the sword. In either case, it met in every Baptist an irreconcilable foe.' " These expressions, quoted from the Beligious Denomisettle religious questions

nations, are but the sentiments of all true Baptists through-

out the world.

The ignorance
freedom,
is

of those

who

represent the

Baptist church government as oppressive, or opposed to

religious

and

civil

to

be pitied.

The

Baptists

stand alone in giving the liberty to every church

to act in the transaction of church duties.

member None has the

ConChevalier

right to assume the pre-eminence over his brethren.

trasting

the Baptist principles with others.

Bunsen remarks:
tional

"How

little

the

Na-

Beligious Denom.,
p. 190.

churches of the seventeenth cen-

232

Equality in the Kingdom.

can

tiiry

make head

against the onsets of the Baptists,

where a great and free religious movement exists, is evinced by the fact, that, among serious Christians of the English race in the United States, the Baptist or Congregational preachers are on the increase more than any other sect, so that they form already the most numerous and most progressive community/^ Full enough has been presented to show that the present Bapin

countries

tists possess this

Bible peculiarity of religious equality in

the churches of Jesus Christ.

(Baptist Succession.

2:33

CHAPTER
1. 2.

XIII.

PECULIARITY SIXTH RESTRICTED COMMUNION.

Restricted Communion answered. Baptist Peculiarity Sixth Restricted Communioit TESTED BY THE BiBLE. Concessions to Baptist views of Communion. Peculiarity Sixth Communion in the Kingdom identified WITH present Baptist teaching.
Objectio:n^s to

8.

4.

Section I. Objection to restricted communion ANSAVERED.

This peculiarity in Baptist
faith

and practice has

It
is

called

down upon them

the wrath of the world.

at present,

to a large extent, the reproach of the Cross of Christ.

Baptists stand out against the entire religious world, in

oiGPering

the Lord's Sapper to those only

who have

pro-

fessed regeneration,
in baptism,

and who have been buried with Christ having fellowship in a church of Jesus Christ.
^'

This Baptist " close communion

try to

is the great bugbear by which our enemies, who profess so much charity for us,

make

us odious in the sight of the world.

Several

objeclions are urged against our practice.

We must not judge. AVe are, of Baptists not to informed that, as Baptists, we have no j'^dge, right to judge who are qualified to approach the Lord's
First:
late,

table.

We are often told, by open communionists, to "Judo-e not that ye be not J iudg-ed ;'^ and,
i=>
.

at the

same time, they

Matt 7'

1.

feel

themselves per-

234

(Restricted

Communion.
'^

fectly

competent to

^^

judge

or decide

who ought

to ap-

proach the Lord's table.

qualified to
!

They themselves

are perfectly

judge in this matter^ but Baptists must not must not be forgotten that, while it is true that we are forbidden by the Savior to judge the hearts or motives of our brethren, we are authorized, by the same Word of God, to " know them by their fruits,^ and thus decide or judge who are church -nembers. Indeed, Ave have the authority laid down by the apostle, by which we are required to judge with whom we should eat at the Lord's table. Here is the author^' ity But now I have written unto you ^ 1 Cor. 5: 11-13. .^ .i not to keep company, it any man that is
judge
It
:

called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater,

or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner;

eat.

w^ith

such a one no not to

For what have I

that are without

to

do

to

judge

them

also that are

without? do not ye judge them that

are within?

But them
is

God

judgeth.

Therefore put away from

person.''

among

yourselves that wicked

^'

Here

the authority of Pleaven, to

judge

them that are w^ithin " the church, or decide who are members of the church, and qualified for the Supper. But if the argument of our opponents is correct, that all must eat with us at the Lord's table who think themselves worthy, then we must eat with all those classes of persons
with

whom

the apostle has said, " no not to eat"

In

fact,

the very denominations

who

are so vociferous in their

condemnation of the Baptists for deciding whom they think qualified to approach the Lord's table, are guilty
of the same thing; they
all

decide or

"judge"

whom
again

they
:

deem

qualified to approach the table.

And

in

Objections

to

Restricted

Communion.

235

condemnation of themselves our opponents undertake to

use the expression of the apostle against us where he says

"Let a man examine himself, and so let p nim eat oi that bread, and driniv: oi that
1

r>

1 Cor. 11: 28.

,^

^^

cup.^^

Many persons quote

this

language in order to con-

demn

the Baptrst practice, when, at the same time, they

which it stands, was addressed. Upon examination it will be found that this injunction was not given to the unbaptized, who were not church members but to "the Church of God which is at Corinth.'^ This was instruction given to those who were actual members of a Gospel church, and not to them that are Avithout, or members of some modern sect. Get up by human ingenuity. This instruction, for church members to examine themselves, is the same that is given by every Baptist minister who administers the
are totally ignorant of the connection in
to

and the characters

whom

it

They exhort every member of the church examine himself in the light of the Word of God, with humble prayer- and supplication to God, to enable him to partake of the elements with due solemnity, in memory of
Lord^s Supper.
to

a dying Savior.

The
eatino;

fault of

some of these Corinthians

1 Cor. 11
is
:

was that: "In

fore other his

every one taketh be21.

:

own supper and one

hungry,

and another is drunken.^^ And when the apostle had sharply rebuked them for their want of reverence in partaking of the Supper, he then exhorted them the actual church members to examine themselves^ and so eat of that bread and drink of that cup. The practice of our oppo-

nents, iu the misapplication of this text, exhibits the gross-

ness of the perversion of the truth to

ally resort in order to bring reproach

which they continuupon us.

236

(Restricted

Communion.
Another objection urged by
is, iliai

Second:

want of
exliibit

Jove.

our oj^ponents against our practice in communion,

we
ap
IS

ivafit

of charity or love toivard

.

ac
'

chanty.

^^^, bretJiren
^

sons.

whom ice admit to be pious perThe word charity has been pressed
for the last fifteen cen-

into service in order to give currency to all the errors

which have inundated the world

1 Fetcr

4:8..

turics.

But

it is

a truth, tJiat though "char,

itj shall cover a

it

multitude of

sins,'^

or faults,

"rejoiceth not in inifjuity, but rejoiceth

in the truth."

We

arc taught by this, that

our charity or love for

the truth of

God

men should for if we love

men.

not cause us to violate

Jesus Christ,

we must
feelings,

keep his commandments irrespective of the views,

prejudices, or traditions of

And

if

our love or charity for

men should induce

us to

violate the laws of Jesus Christ,

which would be the case

baptized
posiit

were we to commune with

tive evidence that
^^ Matt. 10

thoric wdio are neither

nor members of the kingdom of Christ,

would be
''

we
,

are not worthy of him*; for

^
-,

he that
is

^
:

loveth father or mother more than me,

i

not

worthy oi me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me." It appears
:

37.

that

many

persons

who

profess to be Christians, exhibit

more anxiety to show love to their fellow-men than to Jesus Christ, by the faithful performance of his commandments.
fo

If necessary to follow Christ,

we

are

commanded

forsake our father, and mother, and wife, and children,

end brethren, and sisters ; yea, and our own life also, or we can not be Jiis disciples. It is evident that we exhibit more love to our erring brethren by refusing to participate
in their errors,

than

if

we

v\^ere

to indorse their errors

by

Objections to (Restricted Comnuinion.

237

communing with them

character, and. deceive

for,

by the participation with them

indorse their church
in regard to the

of a church ordinance,
Christ

we thereby

them

kingdom of

and
sins,

in this

way we would not only be partaking

in error.

of their

but we would do them a permanent injury

is

by confirming them
This objection

wdiolly based on a misconception of

the real design of the Lord^s Supper.

^\^hen our oppo-

nents charge us with the want of love toward them by not

communing with them, they show by that act that they regard the Lord's Supper as a kind of love-feast .to show
love for one another
!

love for one another, instead of alone in

Savior.

They partake of the Supper memory of

to

show

a dying

It is the duty of the husband to love his wife must he commune with her at the Lord's table, irrespective of any preparation on her part to show that love It is the duty of parents to love their children; must they commune with them at the Lord's table to show their love to ,them AYe are commanded by Jesus Christ to love our enemies who despitefally use and persecute us, as other denominations generally have done to Baptists; must we commune with them to show our love for them While we should love all Pedobaptists, whether they are and I freely admit that there are many friends or enemies pious persons among them yet we must love our Savior more and, therefore, we must not break the least of all his commandments and teach others to do so by communing with them when we are confident that they have not
!
!

yielded obedience to the terms of admission to the Supper.

All

who make

this objection against Baptists, are either

ignorant of the true design of the Supper, or they

make

an argument which they knoAV to be without foundation.

238

Restricted Cov.iinunion.
Discipline
says

The Methodist
i.p
ine

"

The Supper of

the

Lord
J
o
,

is

not only a sign of the love that

Qi^pigj-^Q^g

ought to have among themis

selves one to another, but rather

a sacra-

ment of our redemption by Christ's death. '^ Even if mixed communion were Scriptural, we could not consistently commune with the ^lethodists, from the fact, as shown by the Discipline, they have reduced it in part to a mere love-feast a sign of love for one another. Tliird : How can Vv^e commune in heaven ? But again the question is asked, with an air of triumph: ^^ If we can not commune together here on earth, how ^^ ^, Com. in Heaven. can we commune together in heaven f And this is thought by some to be argument. But we answer, that the Lord's Supper ls an institution belonging to the churches in the kingdom of Christ on earth, and it is only to be observed until Christ comes again and, therefore, will not be observed in heaven at all by any one. Such an objection only betrays the extreme ignorance of him who makes it, in supposing that the Lord's Supper is to be perpetuated in heaven above. But if they mean spiritual communion, in this objection, we answer, that we now have such communion with all the people of God on earth. And it is further urged that the Baptists exclude from

communion persons with whom they expect to live must regard their communion as a holier place than heaven itself. I answer this objection by asking. Do not the Pedobaptists themtheir

in hfeaven; therefore the Baptists

selves expect to live in heaven with persons

whom

they ex-

clude from their communion

idiots,

They exclude

and yet they expect

to live in

and heaven with them.

infants

Tested by the
Is the PedohaptistH^

(Bible.

239

communion more holy than heaven f

Avitli

Sucli frivolous objections lie

equal weight against

those

who make them

as against Baptists.

To

illustrab*

the inconsistency of the Pedobaptist complaint againnt-

we relate a circumstance which actually occurred. communion occasion, as the elder of a Presbyterian congregation was distributing the bread and wine, his own little boy, a " baptized" member of the church, came with tears, pleading with his father for the bread and wine,
Baptists,

On

cake, give me some cider." Was communion thus to reject one of the members of the church who had the sealing ordinance ? Baptists commune, at least with all their own members in fellowship, and invite all others to come to the table on the same terms; but Pedobaptists are so close in communion that
saying, '^Give

me some

not this "close"

they will not

commune with

their

own

infant members.

But

will

it

be said that the infants can not understand the

They can certainly understand the ? communion as well as they understand baptism. The Greek Church is more consistent than other Pedobaptists for they give the Supper to their infant members. They administer it to them from a spoon. But our "cZose" communion friends will feed the old sheep and let the little
design of the Supper

lambs of the flock go unfed.

Section II. Baptist peculiarity sixth restricted COMMUNION tested BY THE BIBLE.

The

question

now comes

up, Is the peculiar practice of

Baptists in regard to the Lord's Supper, which has called

down on them

the scoffs and opposition of the world, sup?

ported by the authority of Inspiration

First

Upon

the

240

(kestrictcd

Commiuiion.
it

examination of

tlie

Scriptures

will be found that the

Lord^s Supper stands in point of order after baptism.

All denominations which practice baptism at

until recently, admitted
theoretically,
tliis

all,

have,
held,

position

and

it is still

by nearly all Christendom, that baptism prethe Supper but of late, some, in order for popsacred cedes ularity it would seem, haye come to the conclusion that all classes, whether baptized or unbaptized, may, of right, approach the Lord's table. AVe haye the example of the
;

apostles in fay or of our position; for they Ay ere all baptized before they partook of the

Supper

at the

hands of

Jesus Christ.
to preach

This

is

not only sho\yn from the fact that

the apostles were John's disciples before they were called

by Jesus Christ, but it is proyed, from the language of John himself, where he said " I indeed baptize
:

you with water unto repentance: but he that Matt. 3 11. \ ^ ^ cometli alter me is. miirhtier tiian i, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with This shows that the same the Holy Ghost, and with fire." characters who were baptized in the Holy Spirit, which w^as on the day of Pentecost, were preyiously baptized by John the twelye apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost; therefore, they were preyiously baptized by John. And as John's ministry closed before
:

-^

the giying of the Supper, therefore

that the
first

it is

absolutely certain

apostles

were baptized by John before they were baptized by John,

i

participated with Christ of the Lord's Supper.

Again

That the
'

apostles

is

Luhe 7: 29, 30: ncw version,

'

shovrn from the foliowino;: ^^And all the i i ,i r publicans, luspeople, and the r i r j hearmo: it, ^ o y
i

t=>

tified

John's immersion.

God, haying been immersed with But the Pharisees and the lawyers

(Baptism before the Supper.

rejected the counsel of

241

ing been immersed by him."

those
tized
fore

God toward themselves, not havFrom this it appears thiit

had previously been bap;

who

received Jesus Christ

by John. The true apostles received Christ therethey had received John's baptism. And this is con-

firmed in the fact that the apostle, to succeed Judas, must

*4iave companied with us"
tles

the other aposLord Jesus went

'

"

all

the time that the

us,

'

"

"

in

and out among

beginning from the baptism of John

us,

unto that same day that he was taken up from

tion."

must

one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrec-

As none w^ere eligible to the apostleship except those who had companied Avith the apostles beginning from the
baptism of John, therefore the apostles began from the baptism of John.

Jesus chose his

first

the disciples of John, otherwise he

John's work and ministry

but as

from among would have rejected John made ready a peodisciples

ple prepared for the Lord, the Savior received the people
that were prepared under the ministry of

John

therefore,

the apostles

baptized by him.
fore the

the disciples of John, had been But if the apostles were not baptized becommunion, they were not baptized at all and this
;

who had been

kingdom, that requires baptism of all, without baptism. The denial of the baptism of the apostles was introduced to serve a theory. Again The Pentecostian converts did not partake of The the Lord's Supper till after they had been baptized. 1st. That Jesus order of the proceedings of that day was was preached as Lord and Christ; 2d. The people were

would place the

apostles in the

cut to the heart and cried out; 3d.

to repent

They were commanded

and be baptized;

4th.

And

after they

were

baptized that gladly received the

Word, "they continued

ii42

(Restricted Corn'tnunion.

steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine

Acts 2: 42.
l^-aycrs.'^

and

fel-

lowship, and in breaking of bread, and in

came after munion before baptism,

Here the breaking of bread in the communion baptism. And those Avho would take the comviolate the apostolic order of the

proceedings on the day of Pentecost.

The same
;

is

also

taught in the commission, where the Savior said

,, ^^ ^ ^^ i/b;^^.28: 19,20.

" Go ye

and teach all nations, baptizino: ^, p xi i them in the name oi the i^ ather, and oi the Son, and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all
therefore,
,
.

/,

^,
:

'

things whatsoever I have

commanded you

and, lo

am

with you alway, even unto the end of the world.'^

der the commission, baptism was the
after the exercise of true faith
;

Un-

first

duty enjoined

therefore no unbaptized per-

son, according to the commission, can approach the Lord^s

table.
tolic

It can not be

shown that any person

in the apos-

age ever dared to approach the Lord's table before

Baptists do not regard anything

and without baptism.

except the immersion of a true believer as baptism at all;

therefore Baptists can not

commune with

the

members of

those societies which practice another baptism. And more baptism, to be valid, must be performed by the sanction or

authority of a church of Jesus Christ acting as the executive in his

kingdom

therefore Baptists can not consist-

who have received which have been set up without the sanction of Heaven. And again the order of the witnesses which bear testimony on earth, is
ently

commune with those immersion in those human

persons

societies

^
!l

John 5:8.

l^i^

down
:

as follows
.

"
i

And
i

there are three

r>,

that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water,

and the blood

unmistakable the order of Heaven.

and these three agree in one.^' How The Holy Spirit /?*si

(Baptism hcjcre the Supper.

bears witness with our spirits that

243

we

are the children of

God by
from
it
;

faith in the risen Savior; second^ the water, or

we are dead to sin, or freed and our rising out of the water shows our faith in a risen Savior, and is a pledge of our future resurrecThe blood, the third witness, is the tion from the dead. emblematic blood of the Supper, and testifies of the death
burial in baptism, testifies that

of Christ by the shedding of his blood for the remission

of sins.
in perfect agreement, in the order of Spirit, water

These three witnesses bear testimony on earth, and

blood; and as the water of baptism bears testimony after

the witness of the Spirit, so the emblematic blood in the

Supper bears testimony after the witness of the water in He v/ho would willfully invert the order of these witnesses, abolish or change their testimony, must be conbaptism.
sidered as exercising the authority of Antichrist.

The
It
is

Baptists are the only people on earth whose practice coincides with the testimony of these three witnesses.

now

fully

made out

that, in the apostolic age,

Baptism

always preceded the Lord's Supper.

Second: Jesus Christ was baptized before he participated
with his disciples in the Supper.

This is not denied by any one, because the baptism of Jesus took place before he entered his public ministry, and the giving of the SupThose who per occurred the night before his crucifixion. presume to approach the Lord's table before they have been buried in baptism, claim a privilege neither taken
nor granted by Jesus Christ.
is

The Savior
;

says

thc.t

''
:

li

enouo^h for the disciple that he be as his

,^

,^

^,

master, and the servant as his lord

those

but

who approach the table without baptism have usurped The example privilege above their Lord and Master.

244

(Restricted

Communion.
further:

of Jesus Christ extends

this Supper,

still

when he

mstituted

he entered alone with his disciples into a

Luhe 22

12 19.

room/' where he distribupper y ri & uted the elements, and said, " This do in
"laro;e
^

remembrance of me/^ So, then, the most restricted, and, as some would say, the " closest " communion that ever was held on earth, was administered by the Savior to his disciples. And were the same Savior to return to the earth, in the form of a servant, like he was then, with his same disciples in this our day, and repeat the same communion as at the first, these same people, who boast so much of charity, would stigmatize them as "close communion Baptists/^

So, then,

when

Baptists are reproached for their

it

practice, they should consider

an honor to bear reproach

for Christ's sake.

Jesus Christ was despised and rejected of men, and so

are Baptists, on account of following the example of Jesus
Christ.

kingdom.

Third: The LorcVs Supper was fixed by himself in his He said, while at the table at the time of the " I appoint unto you a kinginstitution of the Supper
:

dom

as

my

father hath appointed

unto

me; that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' It has already been shown that Jesus Christ set up his own kingdom with visible subjects, laws, and ordinances. And here we are informed that the disciples must eat and drink at his table in his kingdom. Yes; the Lord's table is fixed by the fiat of Heaven in his king'

dom.

We boldly affirm
01

that the tables spread in any other

church

kingdom are not the Lord's tables, whatever may be the forms and solemn ceremonies attached to them

The Table
The
table

in

the,

Kingdom.
is

245

table spread in the

;

Romish Church

not the Lord's

but

it is
it

the table of Antichrist.

And

those

who

partake of

are guilty of idolatry.

is

The

table spread in
it is

Mr. AYesley^s Society

table.

not the Lord's table;

Wesley's

might be said of all the communions established by men, from the time of King Henry VIII.

And the same

Reformed Society in by men, whatever may be the moral character of their members, form no part of the everlasting kingdom established by Jesus himself, in which he placed the table, therefore the Baptists who are members of that kingdom can not extend the communion to these human kingdoms without violating the positive command of Jesus Christ, to eat and drink at
to the establishment of the

down
1827.

As

these societies, established

his table in his kingdom.

societies

And

the

communion with

these

would be to make a human organization equal to the kingdom of Jesus Christ. The Lord's table is alone
to be

found in the kingdom that Jesus Christ

to place the elements out of that

set up,

and

if

we were
to please

kingdom,

in order

men, it could not be properly called the Lord's Sup-

per

but would be another supper.

We, as the Lord's serv-

ants, are not authorized to

move

the table out of the house

to please those

who think
Christ.

themselves too holy to enter the

Some act and talk as if they Supper was altogether under the control of men and that they have a right to invite or prohibit whom they please. This certainly is an egregious mistake. Men have no discretionary powers in this matter whatever.
tliought the Lord's
;

kingdom of Jesus

Jesus Christ himself built the house, or kingdom, and established his table in the house;

and

laid

down

the laws

of approach to

it

and, therefore, he that would change or

abolish those laws has proved himself a daring usurper

246

(Restricted

Coiiinuinio::.

of the authority which alone belongs to Jesus Christ.

Those who find

Christ.
to the

fault

on account of the communion being

fault with Jesus
is

restricted to the

kingdom^ are finding

Notwithstanding the Lord's Supper

restricted

kingdom of

Christ, yet all the children of

God

are

invited to participate at the Lord's table in the kingdom.

They should not be

invited to approach that table in the

neglect or contempt for the laws of Jesus Christ.

Every

one must get into the house, or kingdom, before he approaches the table which
is

fixed in the

kingdom.

When

we

invite our neighbors to eat at our tables of the things

necessary for the body,

we

invite

with every

member

of the family.

them on the same terms It would be very unnarrate throughlet

kind

in one, after refusing

such an

offer, to

out the neighborhood that his neighbor would not

eat at his table
!

him

Such

is

the practice of those

who

talk so

all

much about " charity.^^ 1 repeat, that the Baptists invite the children of God to commune at the Lord's table
upon
the

same terms that they themselves approach that table; and if they refuse to come, it is because their own doctrines or traditions stand as a barrier to keep them away. We invite them first into the house with us, and then to the table of the Lord, upon the terms laid down by the Master of the house, to which all must submit in coming to the table. Fourth: To commune indiscriminately with all the sects, would be the indorsement of their doctrines of church c?'ganization. It is taught by nearly all the professing world, that the Lord's Supper is an institution belonging solely
to the churches of Christ.

Therefore, when we receive the members from tlie various human societies to the Supper, we ^ay, by that act, that he is a church member; and if so,

The Table in
his baptism
is

the

Kingdom.

247

valid,

though received
sins.

in infancy, or in

order to the pardon of

So, if

we should commune
the

with those

human

societies,

then we would be liable to the

all

charge of bidding god-speed to

monstrous ab-

surdities of the so-called Christian world.

But we are

warned against these traditions of men by the Savior, in the followino- lano;iiao^e "In vain do they ,, Mark 7: 7. ^ ^ worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.^^ And Paul warns us against these
:

"^

traditions, as
,

follows
1

'^
1

Touch not
11

taste

,,

not;

handle not; winch

Cot. 2;

21 2o.

all

are

to perish

with the using; after the commandments and doctrines of

men which
:

things have indeed a show of

wisdom

in will

worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not

in

any honor

to the satisfying of the flcsh.'^

But

those

who commune with

the societies that hold these traditions

and commandments of men, have not only touched^ tasted, or handled them, but they have publicly indorsed them by But does John indorsing the church which holds them. recommend this mixed fellowship and communion ? No ibr he said: "If there come any to you, ^ ^, ,. .^,.''2 John, ,. 10-14. ,.-, ,,. and brmg not this doctrine, receive him not For he that into your house; neither bid him god-speed. biddeth him god-speed, is partaker of his evil deeds.'^ John says, ^'receive him not/' but the popular communion'^ isf. 'says, " receive him /
.

To
t(!ai,

illustrate the folly of this

popular communion sysI called at the dwell-

I will here relate an occurrence which took place in

labors several years ago
:

my own

ing of Mr. P., a prominent Universalist ; and he immediately introduced the claims of Universalism

and advocated

them with enthusiasm.

He

was, however, ignorant of nay

248

(Restricted

Communion.
lie

denominational locality; and

Methodist.

supposed that I was a

that his foundation

And when

he

felt

was

being swept aw^ay before the Bible truth, he exclaimed " The Methodists admit that the Universalists are an or-

thodox churcli by communing with them." I replied " I am not a Methodist neither am I responsible for their inconsistencies." He then exclaimed " The Presbyte;
:

rians will

commune with

us."

I replied

"I

am

not a

" I remarked, interrupting him, " do n't say Baptists." He then, in the extremity of his " The Baptists are a bigoted, narrowconfusion, said
;
:

Presbyterian." " The Baptists

He

then, in his excitement, exclaimed

hearted

set,

any how."

I remarked that "

The

Baptists

have too much consistency to indorse such an abominable doctrine as Universalismhy communing with its members." Had I been in the place of the popular communionist,
I should have been puzzled for an answer.

We

could

mention cases Avhere Universalists have taken the Supper

with the open communionists at their popular tables.

Do

not the open communionists bid god-speed to Universal-

ism? And, according to this ojjen theory, a Roman Catholic, Mormon, Shaking Quaker, or Infidel, may approach
the sacred Supper provided he thinks himself worthy
is
!

It

evident to every thinking mind, that, to invite the

is

mem-

bers of the different sects to the communion,

their

to indorse

church organization and doctrines, whatever they

be.

may
who
1.

How,

then, could

any Baptist recognize the

sprinkling of infants as baptism, by

practice it?

communing with

thoso

6,y

'\i /r^^ Waller,

p. 33.

^ot'

In exhibiting the inconsistency of Robert Hall, in advocating open communion, the lamented John L. Waller said that " Mj". Hall had surely forgotten the history cf
:

Mixed Communion

Sanctions Error.

249

infant baptism; a system, the natural

and necessary tendchurch and

the

ency of which was to obliterate the lines of demarcation

between the church and the workl

state

to unite

to

remove
those

tlie

distinction

between those who serve

Infant baptism
is

God and
pillar of

who

serve

him

not.

Popery.

and

folly

That monstrous superstructure of fraud could not survive two generations if infant
it.

baptism did not support

eration, not less than one

By

that

rite, in

each gen-

hundred millions of persons beMillions per

came the

subjects of the Pope.

cradles,

annum

are

and made the vassals of other churches and creeds by what Mr. Hall is pleased rhetorically to class among 'the points non-essential.'^^ In view of these monstrous evils of infant baptism, what Baptist is willing to indorse it by communion with Pedobaptist
kidnapped in their
churches?

Again
it

in exhibiting the utter folly of

Mr. HalPs mixed

theory of communion, Mr. Waller remarks: "AVith him

matters not whether a believer be im^

mersed into the name of the triune God, or whether a worthless person in helpless

Com., p. 02.

^"

'

'^'

^^^

babyhood has had some water and oil poured, by a papal priest, or midwife, or scullion, upon its forehead and eyebrows or whether, upon the responses of ghostly parents, water simply has been poured upon the little head by an Episcopal prelate, priest, or deacon or whether he has had water sprinkled or poured upon him by a Methodist or Presbyterian minister any one of all these things entitles him to membership in the church, according to Mr.
;
;
:

Hall.''

In view of the reckless folly of the doctrine of open comnmnion, I must be permitted to say, with elder Wal-

250
that: "

(Restricted

Communion.

ler,

A free-communion Baptist
ino;,

is, in spirit and feelHe not only disno Baptist at all. cards whatever makes us Baptists, but he

can not get along without misrepresenting our system, and

making

it

palpable to every one that he cherishes for us a

feeling of contempt,

and loves all others better than those whose name he bears, and to whose association he afPects

to belong/^

We

this peculiarity of the Baptist practice concerning

have now had ample proof from the Bible that comis

munion
tice

supported by the AVord of

God and
:

the prac-

great advocate of open communion, Bobert Hall himself, said that " The apos-

of the apostolic age.

The

tles, it is

acknowledged, admitted none to

This being
so,

Quoted by Waller,

Open Com.,

the Lord's Supper but such as were previously baptized.'^

p. 21.

how

dare any one violate the example of the inspired apostles?

Concessions to baptist views of Section III. COMMUNION.

First: ^^Neander, in his great

Church History, speak-

ing of the Lord's Supper, in the early ages of Christianity,

says: ^At this celebration, as
Quoted by Waller Open Com., p. 20.
i

may
^.i

easily

no one could be present ^^ concluded, '

who

w^as not a

member

oi the Christian

^^ Church, and incorporated into it by the rite of baptism.' Second: The learned Dr. D wight, a congregationalisl, and president of Yale College, remarks that: "It is mi

indispensable qucdiflccdion for this ordi^

Dwiglies Theology,
^^^
vol.

IV,

p. 360.

^j^_^^ ^j^^
,

candidate for communion

,

be

a member

-7 7

oj

the

viaioce

UiurcJi

^>7

oj

X'

Concessions
Christ in full standing.

to

baptist Views.
this I intend, that

251

By

he shall
that

be such a
cribed

member

of the church as I have formerly des-

to wit: that he should be

a person of piety;

he should have

made a public
^^

profession of religion, and

that he should have been baptized J'

Third: Waller says:

one
01 the

The

late

Dr. GrifSn, formerly

^

president of Williams Colleo;e, Mass., and

most talented and erudite

oi

the con2:ref>:ational clero:y of

New
:

Eno;land, in his celeI agree with the advo1.

brated letter on communion, says

cates of close
is

'

communion on two things:

That baptism
visi-

an initiating ordinance, which introduces into the

ble church.

Of
those

are no visible

where there is no baptism there churches. 2. That we ought not to comcourse,

mune with
tians.

who

are not baptized, and, of course, are

not church members, even if

we regard them

as Chris-

Should a pious Quaker so far depart from his principles as to wish to commune with me at the Lord^s table, while he yet refused to be baptized, I could not receive him, because there
is such a relation established botween the two ordinances that I have no right to separate

them

or, in

other words, I have no right to send the sa'^

cred elements out of the church.'

Fourth

Again, Waller says

"

The Baltimore
^

Chris^
?

tian Advocate, an organ of the Methodist

Episcopal Church South, holds the

fol-

P-

lowing language
a

That a good man may be a firm be-

liever in the necessity of adult immersion,

we do
this,

not, for

moment, doubt

and that they who believe

is

should

decline

communion with the unbaptizcd,

reasonable and
to

consistent.

To

be offended with the refusal of these

252

cRcs:ric:cd

Communion.
it,

commune with
unkind and
Fifth
:

us, is

absurd; to reproach them for

'^

unjustifiable.'

Again, Mr. Waller says that

^

"

The Boston Eei

corder, Cong^reo-ationalist, in a late issue,

Open Com.,

p. S6.

says

munion
tism

Avithout

we baptism, we
: '

t^
it

^i receive people ^ to the

com-

shall practically treat bapto its being

as a nullity,

and contribute

wholly

abandoned.'
Sixth
f^uo e
:

"
:

Dr. Beech er says

a
er,

" If our Baptist brethren are

right on the
y
^-g^^
^

mode and
ri2:ht o

subjects of bap-

Opeji Com.,-p. 8i

thev are
.

of comon the question t.

munion."
Seventh
ference, in his
dist

The Eev. F. G. Hibbard, of the Genesee Conwork on baptism, published by the MethoConference, said '^ The question on the mode of bap:
:

tism borrows
HibhardonBapt.,
^^o 1-1
..

question:

all its importance from the ^.' ^cr r^\ i v i^ 'Is Christian baptism itselr es-

sentially prerequisite to a Scriptural participation of the Lord's

Supper ?

'

This

latter topic

has

been treated adjunctively with the question of the mode,

and lends
at debate.

to

it

an unspeakable

interest.

Divines have

not entered the polemic arena to show their skill and tact

ject of the
a display

The long and painful controversy on the submode of Christian baptism, has not been merely of intellectual parts. The Corinthians are justly
'

censurable for wasting time and intellectual power, and

brotherly charity, in a controversy concerning
drinks,

meats and

and new moons, and holy days

; '

the schoolmen

liave exhibited themselves to the ridicule of all succeed-

ing generations, for their fruitless and eternal disputations

on such points

as,

whether there
;

between essence and existence

any possible distinction whether an angel, or pure

is

(Dr.

Hibbard's Concession.

253

siiirit,

can pass from one absolute point to another with;

out passing over the intermediate space

to

and nearly

allied

such topics must be the question of the

it

mode

of bap-

tism, if

have no further im])()rtance than the mere con-

venience of fitness of an outward ceremony.

is
is

But the

case

far otherwise.

The bearing which

it

the mode of baptism

alleged to have on the validity of the ordinance,

and

the connection which

bears to the lawful approach to

the Lord's table, and to the rights and immunities of

church-fellowship,

these invest

it

with a character of

paramount importance."
" of

The

question no longer respects merely a ceremony

but has assumed the bold on Bapt, and alarming aspect of church or no ^f^^d p. 1/3. ^ CHURCH Every ordinance, every institution, every rite and privilege of visible Christianity, is drawn along and merged into the bosom of this doubtful Within its ample folds are embraced the controversy. question of true Protestantism and pure Christianity
religion,
!

while

its

capacious vortex has set in motion the very pil-

lars of the visible church, threatening to

whelm
are

it

in its

troubled waters.

The

issues of this controversy are to

decide whether the Pedobaptist churches

the true

churches of Christ; whether their ministers hold their

commission
ure
;

to administer the ordinances

by a lawful

ten-

whether their members have any right to approach to the table of the Lord, and whether the privileges of the church may be conceded to them without desecration.
Verily, the question of the

mode of baptism

is

a far-reach-

ing subject. Without controversy, it is a grave theme. Before entering upon the argument before us, it is but just to remark, that in one principle the Baptist and Pe-

254

(Restricted

Communion.
They both agree
in rejecting

dobaptist churches agree.

from communion
baptized.

at the table of the

Lord, and in denying

to, all who have not been Valid baptism they consider as essential to constitute visible church membership. This also we hold.

the rights of church-fellowship

The only
is

question, then, that here divides us,

is,

^What

essential to valid

baptism?^

The

Baptists, in passing

the sweeping sentence of disfranchisement upon all other

Christian churches, have only acted upon a principle held

in

common with

all

other Christian churches

viz: that

baptism is essential to church membership." " They have denied our baptism, and, as unbaptized
persons,
^,
"^
'

we have been excluded from

Inat they err greatly

their
their

table.

views of Christian baptism, we, of course,

believe.

But, according to their views of baptism, they

certainly are consistent in restricting thus their

ion.

commun-

We would

not be understood as passing a judgment

;

of approval upon their course

but we say their views of

baptism force them upon the ground of

and herein they

churches
i.

e.,

strict communion, upon the same principles as other they admit only those whom they deem

act

communion table. Of course, they own judges as to what baptism is. It is evident that, according to our views of baptism, we can admit them to our communion but with tlieir views of bapbaptized persons to the

must be

their

tism,

it is

equally evident, they can never reciprocate the

courtesy.

And

the charge of close commu7iion

is

no more

applicable to the Baptists than to us, inasmuch as the

question of church-fellowship with them

as liberal principles as
it

is

determined by
con-

is

with any other Protestant

is

churches, so

far, I

mean, as the present subject

Concessions
cerned

to (Baptist

Views.

255

i.

e., it

is

determined by valid baptism.

it

Now,

this being the case, does

sible

not become a measure of respon-

moment

to decide

upon the question of the mode of

baptism?
ject, that

Indeed, so awful are the aspects of this sub-

thousands have feared to assume a decided posiit.

tion in reference to

They have held

to exclusive im-

mersion, and at the same time have held to catholic com-

munion, or communion with persons who have not been immersed an anomaly and absurdity that presents a sin-

gular contrast to the characteristic symmetry of Christian

theology.^'

I have introduced this long quotation from Mr. Hib-

bard on account of the strength of his argument

baptism, and at the same time practicing mixed
ion.

in

show-

ing the utter folly of holding to inmiersion as the only

commun-

Hibbard

justly says that the Baptist

'^

views of bap-

ground of strict communion ; '^ '^AND THE CHARGE OF CLOSE COMMUNION IS NO MORE APPLICABLE TO THE BAPTISTS THAN TO US." If all Pedobaptist writers and speakers would thus admit the consistency of Baptist practice in communion, though they may think us in error, it would be much better for themselves, as well as for us. In showing the inconsistency of the open communion Baptists, the same writer says "But it
tism force them

upon

the

is

far less responsible, in our estimation,

to hold that baptism

may be

administered
to hold fel-

^^^^

^^

'

by sprinkling or pouring, than

lowship at the Lord's table with persons we do not believe

have received Christian baptism." Eighth: Dr. Wall, the Vicar of Shoreham, the learned
Episcopalian,
in

his history

of

infant

baptism,

says:

"Among

all

the absurdities that ever were held, none ever

256
BapL,

(kestricted Co:uunumon.

JFis.

Inf.

maintained, that any person should partake

of the

P'

communion before he was

baptized.'

Ninth: Drs. Coke and Asbury, the founders of Methodist

Methodist Church, say

^6

Episcopacy, in their notes on the Discipline of the " must also observe, that our
:

We

elders should be very cautious

07^0/
iscip.,
g^^j-^jji-

how

they

communion persons who arc not in our society. It would be highly injurious to our hrethreyi if we suffered any to partake of the Lord's Supper with them whom we would not readily admit into our society on application made to us. Those whom we judge unfit to partake of our profitable, prudential means of grace, we should most certainly think im^^ the

proper to be partakers of an ordinance which has been

expressly instituted by Christ himself.^'

Tenth: Again, Bishop Hedding, on the administration

of the Discipline of the Methodists, asks: "Is
it

proper

for a preacher to give out a general invitation in the con-

gregation to
to

'

members

in

good standing

in other

churches

come to the Lord's Supper? No; for the most unworthy persons are apt to think themselves in good standAnd sometimes persons who are not members of any ing. church wdll take the liberty, from such an invitation, to come. And again, there are some communities, called churches, which, from heretical doctrines or immoral practices, have no claim to the privileges of Christians, and ought not to be admitted to the communion of any ChrisThe rule in that case is as follows, and it tian people.
ought to be
rot a
strictly

adhered to

Let no person who

is

member

of our church be admitted to the

communion

without examination, and some token given, by an elder or deacon. No person shall be admitted to the Lord's

Concessions

to

(Baptist

Views.

257

Supper among us who is guilty of any practice for Avhich we would exclude a member of our church.' Discipline, page 75." Here the bishop of the Methodist Church is
to sustain his position.

opposed to open communion, and refers to the Discipline And it is evident that, according
the law
that no person can

to the Discipline, no Baptist can

ists; for
is,

who

is guilty of any practice would exclude a member of our church.''

commune with the Methodcommune "among us for which we

.

And as all are liable to exclusion "who Ill IT T hold and dissemuiate, publicly or pri

^.

Viscip., p. 129.

vately, doctrines

which are contrary

to

our Articles of
^.
.

Relig-ion," or "inveiffh against either our

doctrines or Discipline, such person so ot-

fending shall be

first

reproved by the senior minister, or

preacher, of his circuit, and if he persist in such pernicious

practices, he shall be expelled

from the church;" and

it is

known
trine

to all, that Baptists not only

oppose the articles of

the Methodist religion, but they inveigh against their doc-

and Discipline, and, therefore, would be excluded were they members of the Methodist society; bat as none
are allowed to

commune whom

the Methodists would ex-

elude from their society, therefore, according to the Discipline,

no Baptist can commune with the Methodists.

:

And more
is'

the Methodist preacher

guilty of the violation of his

who would invite them, own solemn oath, which he

has taken to observe the Discipline in every point, great

and small.

While some Pedobaptists are continually up-

braiding us for close communion, they forget that they

themselves are guilty of a more unscripturally close com-

munion than
all

ourselves,

\yhile

we

invite to the

Supper

of our

own members, and,

in fact,

every child of

God

^Restricted

C oninmnwn.
tal)lG

to

enter the

kingdom and approach the Lord's

all their

scriptiirally, these

Pedobaptist preachers refuse to take to

their

Supper the most innocent of

membership,

mean the babies whom they have kidnapped, sentenced, and condemned to Methodism, by forcin^^ them into the "Methodist Church" by spriidcling or pouring! Will they say that an infant Methodist is too young to understand the design of the Supper? If so, he is too young to
understand the design of baptism and (ihurch membership.

The Greek Church

is

more consistent than the modern

Pedobaptist sects; for they extend the 8upj)er to every

baptized infant, though his age

may

be only eleven days.

What would

be thought

(jf

my

consistency were I to

make
and

a feast and sound a trumpet to proclaim

invite strangers to

my

charity,

that I have

would be thought that my ado about my superior charity was only for popular effect. I am fully satisfied that open communion originated in the desire for popularity. Its object is to please men, not God.
family

from

my supper; but after debarred my own children a

the feast?
It

all, it

turns out

part of

my own

The Modern Ilcjormers hold strict communion in theory, but loofic communion in practice. Their leaders know that strict communion is Scriptural, but their desire for popularity is so strong that they practice

open communion.

Mr.
I here

Campbell, their founder and leader, has repeatedly expressed himself in opposition to open

communion.

introduce one statement from him, as follows:

recollect that
Mill. Harh., //, p. 893.

"We

do not

in passing,

we have ever argued out the vol. n^d^j^-c, Qf ^i^jg ^fj-ge and open communion ^ system.' But one remark we must offer that we must regard it as one of the weakest
;

and most vulnerable causes ever plead

and that the great'

^

Folly of

Conimunion

zvith (keforfners.

259

Mr. Hall,
tice,

as he is called, has, in his defense of the prac-

made it appear worse than before. In attempting to make it reasonable, he has only proved how unreasonable

and unscriptural it is.'^ And yet, in the face of this strong condemnation of Mr. Campbell, his disciples practice this "unreasonable and unscriptural'^ open communion system. These modern disciples are more inconsistent than any other " open " communion society on earth. The Pedobaptist open communionists hold the branch church sys-

tem,

and they only propose

to

commune with
those

those

whom

they regard as church members, or at

least. Christians,

but Reformers wish to

commune with

whom

they

regard as members of Antichrist alid children of the devil.

These people who profess to have escaped from the corruptions and smoke of Babylon, will seek the opportunity to commune with Baptists and others whom they regard
as a part of

Babylon and Antichrist

they do
this,

they are not permitted to

sects.

They complain if commune with the Antichristian

!

When

do they not return to "their

wallowing in the mire''?

They

either

do not believe

what they say of

this

others, or they are guilty of willfull

idolatry in symbolizing w^ith Antichrist.

Which horn
J.

of

dilemma

will they choose?

Elder

L. Waller sets
this sect, as

forth the utter absurdity of

communion with
^
p
1

follows
-

" The Reformers do not regard

.

members ot the Church They proclaim us to be schismatics or sectaof Christ. They affirm that we have built upon another rians. foundation than the sacred Scriptures that we are one of
the Baptists as

_,

/^i

Open Com.,

p. 76.

the dauo-hters of mvstical Babvlon.

work has been

to reform us

veritable church.

They

call

Hence, their chief and to construct us into a upon us to forsake our evil

260

(Restricteii

Conimunion.

ways, and to follow them in the paths which they honor

with their footprints.

tist

And whenever

they can get a Baprepentaiice.

to join

them, they rejoice more over him than over

ninety and nine wicked persons

who need

If they regard ours as churches of God, then tliey are

guilty of egregious

wrong

in producing schism in the

atteni})t,

of Christ, which they every-where

body and which, in

many
and

cases,

they have but too successfiiUy accomplished;

if

they do not regard ours as churches of God, then

they can not, according to that Bible which they profess

so dearly to reverence, wish sacramental
us.

communion with

According

to the first supposition, they are too sinful

;

for our fellowship

and according

to the last,

we

are too
is

sinful for theirs.

Either way, and intercommunion

wholly out of the question,

light

it is

but the communion of

and darkness.'^
all

Yet, in the face of

these facts, the

are guilty of the very absurdity which involves

hypocrisy and guilt in the sight

modern Beformers them in of God. Mr. Waller

:

shows the utter folly of Baptists, when they commune with Campbellites, in the following words " In many of the reformed congregations,' too, are per^

'*^

P23.

/b, /7.
,

L^

"'

sons

who have been excluded from

Bai)tist ^

churches for sundry misdemeanors and

immoralities,

and yet have been taken

into the brotherhood

feeliuirs or

of the Reformation without any reo-ard to our

discipline in the premises.

This, our readers will bear

witness, is no mere fancy supposition to serve a purpose. Such examples, unfortunately, exist too abundantly. Do

not Baptists, then, in fellov/shiping such at the Lord's

and as true church members, proclaim, to all intents and purposes, their own want of ecclesiastical existence
table,

Opeit

Commimion

Injurious.

2G1

that to

them belong none of the

?

rights

and privileges of

Christian church

Is

it

not an admission that they have

no Scriptural right to receive and exclude members? Is it not, in short, an acknowledgment as palpable as it is humiliating, that everything which the reformed ^proclaimers^ have preached and published respecting our sectarianism and our kindredship to the papal harlot, is just and true ? As matters now stand between ourselves and the Reformers, it would be far better for us to become members with them, than to commune with them. That would be more consistent and manly. It is better and more honorable to
surrender our cause than to betray
it.

Let us be open
the

enemies rather than traitors."

I

am

persuaded that no Baptist

who understands

dreadful import of his act, will ever so far betray the

cause of his Master as to

commune

\vith those w^ho

preach

"another Gospel.'^ On this point, Mr. Waller further " Baptists agree with Mr. Campbell savs
:

in

mamtainmg
,

that none but immersed

i.

,1^

'

Wal. Open Com.,

^.^

believers in Jesus Christ have a right to

come

to his table

because only such are

fit

for

ship in his visible churches, and because the Supper

memberwas

ordained by him to be a church ordinance

lieve his theory of the plan of salvation to

but they be-

be unscriptural

and pernicious.
Reformers

Thus believing, they can not, by inviting communion, recognize their congregations as Gospel churches." In fact, it would be the full indorsement of the popish dogma of baptismal salvation,
to their

to receive Campbellites to our

communion, or

to

commune

with them.

In conclusion, it should be remembered that the heaviest judgments of Almighty God fell upon ancient Israel for

2G2

^Restricted

Communion.

mixed worship, and mixed marriages, And it was the settled policy of the enemies of Israel, when they failed to subdue them by force, to try to seduce them to commune with them in their worship. And, in like manner, when the
fellowship,

mixed

with the surrounding nations.

various opposing parties of earth have failed to overthrow

the Baptists by
fire

and sword, they

^^

now", in order to get

us to surrender our principles, cry

to

charity,^'

and propose

commune with

us.

When

Sanballat and Tobiah failed

to hinder the rebuilding of

sent messengers to persuade

his

Jerusalem by force, they then Nehemiah to come down from

of

Ono

work, and meet them in council, in some of the villages but they thought to do him mischief. And so
:

our ecclesiastical enemies,

who have

failed to

check the

progress of the Baptist denomination by physical force,

have now changed their policy, and wish to commune with them ! It comes with an ill grace from the members of those denominations whose skirts are all stained with Baptist

blood, to propose now, as they have no

power

to per-

secute with the sword, to

commune with

the Baptists.

We

have now seen that the peculiar practice of the

is

Baptists in regard to the Lord's Supper,

not only susfirst

tained by the

Word
it is

of

God and

the practice of the

churches, but

admitted to be consistent by the

w^isest

men

of other denominations.

Section IV.

Peculiarity sixth
identified

restricted
many

coi^r-

MUNION
It
is

AMONG MODERN
of
^^

BAPTISTS.

wholly unnecessary to array

proofs on this
'^

point.

The standing charge

close

communion

is

enough

to settle the point, that Baptists are strict in their

^Restricted

Communion among
Because of

^Baptists.

2G;>

terms of communion.

this peculiar feature in

i>aptist practice, they are called " uncharitable/' " selfish,"

*'

bi<^ote(l/'

and

'^

narrow-hearted/' with

many

other ugly

names of reproach. It would seem that our opponents suppose that they have a perfect right to fix any terms of communion which they may deem proper. They have
overlooked the
fact, tiiat

Jesus Christ has fixed the terms

of ap})r()ach to the table, and

we have no more

right

t(j

change

his order

than

we have

to establish infant baptism,

or any other Popish ceremony.

tlierefore, to

The complaint ought

In
fact,
'^

not,

be

made
'' ^'

against Baptists, but against him

who made

the terms

narrow. '^
close

the reproach of
falls

what the world calls

communion

upon him
the

who
that

said,

'^

Straight

is

the gate and narrow

is

way
it."

leadeth

unto

life,

and few there be that find

Baptists are called to suffer rei)roach for the sake of Jesus

Christ; for

it

has already been abundantly proved that

the Savior instituted the Supper as held by the Baptists.

Restricted comnmnion is practiced by about fifteen thousand Baptist churches in America; and the Baptist pulpit and press advocate the same divinely instituted order.
Strict

communion

is

distinctly stated in the various ex-

pressions of faith published by Baptists.

Quite a num-

ber of books and tracts have been written in defense of

tlie

]^>ible

order of the Supper.

Brethren Kifiin, Booth,

Fuller,
all

and Orchard in England, and in America nearly our writers, have wielded their pens against "open

conjumnion.^'
ica

Amidst the multitude of writers in Ameron the communion question, we mention the names, Curtis, Howell, Waller, and Gardner, who have produced
books
in defense of restricted

communion.
is

The " Church

a newly-pub-

Communion/' by

the last-named author,

264:

(Restricted

Corriniunion.
conceded that some

lishcd

work of great
communion
;

value.

It

is

persons called Baptists have adopted the popular system

of open

but,

they are inconsistent with their

stultify

by the admission of nearly all, own professions, and they

themselves by the indorsement of the things which

Professor Curtis aftirms, truly, that
principle
vi^iita,
'

they do not believe.

'nn^ ^^ p. 296.
'^^*'

upon which mixed coma hrcadi of trust because baptism and the liord's Supper are committed to the custody and guardianship of the visible churches of Christ, as such, which are the trustees, the administrators of these ordinances, by divine appointment.^' We are commanded to mark them which cause divisions contrary to the doctrine of Christ, and " avoid
'

"The

nwxwiow

involves

'^

them;^^ but our open-communion

brethren would say,

of Baptists are ex-

"commune

with them"!

The views

pressed in the twenty-second article of the Confession of

Faith, published by Joseph Belcher in the Religious

De-

nominations.
JicUgious Daiom,,
'

This

article expresses the Baptist doctrine

p. 203.

(,^.3

01 the Liovd Jesus

.

of communion as follows: "The Sup])er p,i t it j.-xxii i-

was
.

instituted by
*'

him

the same night wherein he was betrayed,

to

be observed in his churches unto the end of the world,

for the perpetual

sacrifice of

remembrance, and showing forth the

is

himself in his death.''

held by nearly
all to

As

the

communion

be a church

ordinance, therefore none except church members can ap-

proach
house.

it

without the violation of the order of the Lord's

is

It

easy to see, that

when we commune with

all

denominations,
of
all

we admit

the church character and claims

denominations; and we thereby indorse the ordiall these societies.

nances and superstitions of

Baptists

(Restricted

Coimnunioyi ar^iong
of

(kapti:ts.

2G5

do not regard
they do not

tliose societies

human

origin

and ordi-

nances as churches of Jesus Christ, and, consequently,

commune with them.

Baptists are not charged

with holding restricted communion for worldly gain or

popularity.

Considering the weakness of the

flesh

and

the desire for popular favor, together with the tremendous

pressure brought to bear against Baptists,

it is

a matter

of wonder that they withstand the popular tide even as

well as they do.

We

find the Baptists standing alone,

among

all

the parties of Christendom, in the preservation

of the Lord's table in his kingdom, by the withholding of

the emblems of the Savior's broken body and shed blood

from those wdio have not been buried with Christ in baptism upon a profession of faith and regeneration, and are
without true church fellowship.

26G

The True Church

([Persecuted.

CHAPTER
CUTED.
1.

XIA^

PECULIARITY SEVENTH. THE TRUE CHURCH PERSEThe true Church PerBaptist Peculiarity Sevextu secuted Tested by the Bible. Peculiarity Sevexth identified ix Modern Baptist History.

2.

Section

the Baptist peculiarity seventh I. TESTED BY THE TRUE CHURCH PERSECUTED

BIBLE.
Christy the

The Lord Jesus

sorely persecuted.

Head

of the Churcli, was

to try to en-

His enemies sent men

;

tangle

him

in his teaching
;

they assailed his character with

foul slanders

and

at last they

put him to the shamefal

sorely persecuted

death of the cross.

The Savior was

and

maltreated while on earth, and he has

respect

made no promise

that his disciples should fare better than himself in this

;

but, on the contrary, they are promised persecu-

tions as a part of their inheritance.

Jesus said to Peter

Mark

10

29, 30.

""*'' y"' ^^'''"' '^ "? '"^'^ \ ^'^ that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters,
''

^'^''''^

or father, or mother, or
sake,
fold

Avife,

or children, or lands, for

my
and

and the

Gospel's, but he shall receive an hundred-

now

in this time, houses,

and brethren, and

life.''

sisters,

mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions ; and

in the world to

come

eternal

How emphatic, every

we must
not expect

one "shall

receive'^ "persecutions^' as a part of his present

inheritance.

Again

Jesus taught that

Shown from

the (Bible.
" It

267

exemption from persecution, when he said

for the disciple that
, ,

is

enough

he be as his master, and ^ ,.-,-, .p T the servant as his lord ii they have called
:

,^

Matt. 10: 25.

the master of the house Beelzebub,

they call them of his household

Jesus said

^'

how much more shall Some Christians sup;

pose that they are to live in peace and quiet on earth

'^
:

but

Think not
:

that I

am come
,

came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against iier mother-into send peace

Matt. 10: 34-36.

on earth

law.
hold.^^

And

a man's foes shall be tliey of his

own

house-

The Savior

does not teach that the faithful preach-

ing of the Gospel will itself produce war; but he Avould

inform us that the wickedness of the

faithfully preached,
for the

human

family

is

so

great that they will rise in rebellion against the Gospel

and persecute those who forsake all kingdom of God, even to the rending asunder
Jesus said
?''
:

the dearest ties on earth.

'^

am come
will I, if

to send fire
it

on the earth, and what

LuJx 12

49.

be already kindled

In

this the

Savior

taught that the persecutions against himself were but the

friends asunder.

kindling of a fire on earth which would rend families and are further informed that this fire

We

of persecution will burn so fiercely that near relatives will " Behold, I deliver each other to death ; for Jesus says
:

send you forth as sheep in the midst of

,
-^
,

wolves: be ye thereiore wise as serpents,

,^ .^ Matt. 10

., ... 16-22,

and harmless as doves. But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you and ye shall be brought before govin their synagogues ernors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them
;

2G8

Th(^

True Church

(l^ersecuted.

and

But when they deliver you up, take no what ye shall speak for it shall be given thought how you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which spcaketli in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child and the children shall rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to
tlie

Gentiles.

or

death.

And

ye shall be hated of

all

men

for

my

name's

sake

but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.^'

saints of
.

Daniel the prophet foresaw the fearful persecutions

waged against the

Dan.

^^

said

God by the Papal horn ; he " I beheld, and the same horn made
,

7: 21.

them."

and prevailed against The crucifixion of Jesus was the result of resanits,

war with the

.-,

-,

ligious hate manifesting itself in a fiendish persecution

which even followed his dead body into the tomb. Stephen fell a martyr by the hand of relentless persecution, under the shower of stones. And the apostles, all except John,
died a violent death, because of their faithful testimony
for the truth.

become discouraged under persecution, as if some strange thing had happened for all these afflictions, which are but for a moment, " work2 Cor. 4: 17. eth for us a far more exceeding and eterare not to
;

But we

nal weight of glory.''

I Peter
4.:

Peter says

" Beloved, think

it

not
.

strano;e concernino; the fiery trial which is ^ ^ ^ , , ^ ^ 12, 13. ^, to try you, as though some strange thing
:

happened unto you

be revealed, ye

But

rejoice,
;

inasmuch

as ye are par-

takers of Christ's suiferings

that,

when

his glory shall

may

be glad also with exceeding joy."

the
i

Jesus
Matt.b: 10-12. ,,-^, ^'

consoled
,
,

disciples

as

follows
i
x-

. Blessed are they which are persecutoa

i

lor

Shoivn
righteousness' sake

from

the (Bible.

269

Blessed are ye,

you, and shall
for

for thcir's is the kingdom of heaven. when men shall revile you, and perscc.t*^ say all manner of evil against you falsely,
:

my sake. Kcjoice, and be exceeding glad for great your reward in heaven for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.'' We should esteem it a great honor to be permitted to partake of the sufferings of Jesus Christ by being persecuted. Paul rejoiced in trib:

is

ulations

and

suiferings for the cause of his

:

Master

he

sums up
in labors

his afflictions as follows

" Are they ministers of

Christ? (I speak as a fool) I

am more;
above
oft.

more abundant,

in stripes

measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths

Of

the

Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the
deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils
of robbers, in perils by mine

own countrymen,

in perils

by

the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils

among

false b'^ethren

in weariness

and painfulness,

in watchings often, in

hun-

ger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Beside those things that are without, that which cometh

upon

me

daily, the care of all the churches."

Some
but' to

professed Christians are popular Avith the world

them the Savior says:

you
!

"Wo
And

unto you, when

Luke 6:
to the
^
,

all

men
same

shall speak well of

for so did their

^^ 26.

lathers to the lalse prophets.

effect

the apostle

James

testifies,

as follows
is

"

Know

ye not that the friendship of the world

enmity with God?

Whosoever, therefore,
is

will be a friend of the world,

the

enemy of God."

Thus

270

The

Trvte

Church

(c^ersecuted.

we

discover that those miiiisters and members, professed

Christians,

who

enjoy the popuhir favor or friendship of

the world, are the enemies of

are also the enemies of
all

God; and consequently they

the foithful Christians

who

bear

vritness against the riders of the

darkness of this world

and

spiritual wickedness in high places.

^'

And it is also truC;

who have
trans-

that these

Christians," enemies of God,

formed themselves into ministers of Christ, are the leaders

in persecuting those
^

who

are faithful to Christ.

all

Paul

said to
live

Timothy: "Yea, and

all

that will

godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perseis

cution.''

There

no escape;

the truly godly shall

suffer persecution;

their robes,

and Avhen they reach heaven it will be them " These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed and made them while in the blood of the
said of
:

Lamb."

And
^

of these bitter persecutions or tribulations,

,, , iJ/arX13:12,13.

the Savior further said:

^,
,
,

"Xow

shall betray the brother to death,

-,1

the brother

and the

-,

father the son

and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye
;

shall
shall

be hated of

all

men

for

my name's

sake

but he that

endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."

fore all these, thev shall lay their
^

reports the words of Jesus on this point thus:

Luke "But behands on

Luke 21

,^
:

12.

you, and persecute you, delivering you

-,

up

to

the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before

kings and rulers for

my name's

sake."

In the fulfillment

of this prediction the apostle Paul was sorely persecuted.

Tertullus, the orator employed
elders to prosecute

cused him as

by the high priest and Paul before Felix, the governor, ac" For we have found this man a pesfollows
:

(Baptists ^erseciitcd.

'2'

tilent fellow,
all

and a mover of sedition amonp; ^ the Jews throughout the world, and a

Acts

2- J

T).

ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes."

apostle speaks of the persecutions
apostolic ministry in the following
:

Again, the
this pres-

and sufferings of the

^'

Even unto

and ^ are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; and labor, working with our own
ent hour Ave both hunger, and thirst,

hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we

suffer it;
filth

being defamed,
It can

we

entreat:

we

are

made

as the

of the world, and are the offscouring of

all

things unto

this day."

will be popular with the world.

fully sustained

nowhere be found that true Christians No .point can be more

by the Scriptures than that the true church was peculiarly persecuted, and every-wherc spoken against in the ap)ostolic age. This was acknowledged by the Jews at Rome, in the following: "But w^e desire to hear of thee what thou ^^ ^^ Ads 28 22. thmkest: lor as concernmg this sect, w^e
or kingdom of Jusus Christ
,

f.

know

that every-where

it is

spoken against."

Sectio^t II.

The bible characteristic of the TRUE CHURCHES OF CHRIST BEING PECULIARLY PERSECUTED, IDENTIEIED IN THE MODERN HISTORY
OF BAPTISTS.

"While other denominations dispute

they unite in opposing the Baptists.

objects of derision

and Protestants. enemy of sects, creeds and formularies of the whole Catholic and Protestant world. They are also looked u^xjn

among themselves, The Baptists are the and persecution among both Catholics They are accounted as the common

Th^ True Church Persecuted.

\Yitk suspicion
eartii as

and contempt by the kings and tyrants

of

the enemies of all governments.

Of

this opposi-

Mosheim, the historian^ says: "Therts were certain sects and doctors against IS 01 05. y, ^^YiQ^-^ ^\^Q 2eal^ vigilance and severity of Catholics, Lutherans^ and Calvinists, were united, and in opposing whose settlement and progress these three communions, forgetting their dissentions, joined their most vigorous counsels and endeavors. The objects of their common aversion were the Anabaptists, and those who denied the divinity of Christ and a trinity of persons in the godhead.^^ Catholics and Protestants still agree in
tion to Baptists^
I.

that opposition to Baptists.

These persecutions against Baptists have not been confined to the

Old World but the

;

relentless

hand of violence

has followed them to America; and on this continent

Baptists have been banished, fined, imprisoned, and publicly

whipped, on the account of

tlieir principles.

law

was passed

in the colony of Massachusetts in 1644, for the

banishment of Baptists for the rejection of infant baptism. "And in 1644, a poor man, by the Religious Denom., - i? -o x -n j name oi raniter, became a Baptist, and ^^^ was complained of to the court for re

'

fusing to have his child baptized.

cial

The

court, with judi-

dignity, interposed their authority in favor of the

child.

And

because the poor

man gave

it

as his opinion

that infant baptism

was an anti-christian ordinance, Mie was,' says Backus, Hied up and whipped.' " And in the year 1651, three Baptist ministers. Dr. John Clarke, Obediah Holmes, and John Crandal, were arrested on Lord's Day, July 19th, while Clarke was preaching in a private house, and the next day were committed to prison in Boston.

Modem
"And
on July 31st

(Baptists (Persecuted.

273

were tried before the Court of Assistants, by whom Clarke was fined twenty pounds Holmes, thirty,
tliey
;
:

^'

^'

^^J^'^

and John Crandal, five or eaeh to be well whipped." On the payment of their fines, Clarke and Crandal were released, but Holmes was retained in prison until September, when he was publicly whipped most cruelly upon his bare back for the executioner, " striking Backus' Ch. His., with all his strength, spitting in his hand ^"^j!^'
;

three

times,

with a three-corded whip,

is

giving

me

therewith thirty strokes,''

the testimony of
prison for

Holmes

himself.

Two men

w^ere

cast into

showing sympathy to Holmes by shaking hands with him when he was untied from the whipping-post. In order to show the various inconveniences and troubles to which the Baptists were subjected, in Massachusetts, under the rul^ of the Puritan Presbyterians, Ave
here insert a long
letter,

addressed to the Philadelphia

It
is

Association, in the year 1770.

as follows

"^The laws

of this province never were intended to

"
^^^*'
'

exempt the Baptists from paying toward buildino^ and repairino^ Presbyterian meetmg houses, and makmg up Presbyterian

'

^'^^

ministers' salaries; for, besides other insufficiencies, they

are all limited both as to extent and duration.

The

first

law extended only

round each Baptist meetinghouse; those without this circle had no relief, neither hud they within for, though it exempted their polls, it lef: their estates to the mercy of harpies, and their estates went to wreck. The Baptists sought a better law, and with great difficulty and waste of time and money, obtained it; but this was not universal. It extended not
five miles
:

274

TJie

True

CJizirch 'Persecuted.

be

any parish until a Presbyterian meeting-house should built, and a Presbyterian minister settle there; in consequence of which the Baptists have never been freed from the first and great expenses of their parishes exto

penses equal to the current expenses of ten or twelve

years.

This
is

is

the present case of the people of Ashfield,

which
ilies

a Baptist settlement.

There

w^ere

but

five

fam-

of other denominations in the place

;

when

the Baptist

and a few more, have lately built a Presbyterian meeting-house there, and settled an orthodox minister, as they call him which last
church was constituted
but those
five,
;

cost

them 200.

To pay

for both, they laid a tax

on the

laud; and, as the Baptists are the most numerous, the

The Presbyterians, in demanded the money. The Baptists pleaded poverty, alleging that they had been twice driven from their plantations by the Indians' last war;, that they were but new settlers, and had cleared out a few spots of land, and had not been able to build commodious dwellingTheir tyrants vrould not hear. Then the Baphouses.
greatest part fell to tlieir share.

April

last,

tists

pleaded the ingratitude of such conduct; for they

built a fort there at their
it

had

own

tained

for

two

years,

and

so

expense, and had mainhad protected the interior

Pi'esbyterians, as well as their neighbors,

who now

rose

up

against

them

that the Baptists to the westward had

money to relieve Presbyterians who had, like them, suffered by the Indians; and that it was cruel to take from them w^hat the Indians had left! But nothing touched the hearts of these cruel people. Then the Bapraised
tists

urged the law of the province; but w^ere soon told

that that law extended to no

new

parish

till

the meetingthe Baptists

house and minister were paid

for.

Then

Modern

(Baptists (Persecuted.

Tliy

petitioned the general court.

till

P'occedIngs were stopped

further orders, and the poor people went

;

home

rejoicall

ing, thinking their property safe

but they had not

it

got

home

before said order

came

and

was an order

for the

l*resbyterians to proceed.

Accordingly, in the month of

April, they
skirts

fell

foul

on their plantations; and not on

and corners, but on the cleared and improved spots; and so have mangled their estates and left them hardly any but a wilderness. They sold the house and garden of one man, and the young orchards, meadows, and cornfields

of others; nay, they sold their dead, for they sold

their graveyards.

purchasers.

The orthodox minister was one of the These spots amounted to three hundred and

and have since been valued at 363 8^., This was the first payment. lO.S'. Two more are coming, which will not leave them an inch The Baptists waited on the assemof land at this rate. bly live times this year for relief, but were not heard, under pretense they did no business; but their enemies were heard, and had their business done. At last the
ninety-five acres,

but were sold for 35

members at Camand made their complaints known but, in general, they were treated very superciliously. One of them spoke to this effect: ^The general assemhhj have a right to do what they did, and if you donH like it, you may quit the place!' But, alas, they must leave their all behind! These Presbyterians are not only supercilious in power, but mean and cruel in mastery. When tliey came tog(3thei' to mangle the estates of the Baptists, tiiey diverted themselves with the tears and lamentations of the oppressed. One of them, whose name is Wells, stood up to j)rcach a mock sermon on the occasion; and among other
Baptists got together about a score of the
bridge,
;

276

The True Church

words
to this effect
:

(i^ersecuted,

things, used

The Baptists, for

re-

fasing
pieces,

to

pay an orthodox minister, shall be cut in pound and boiled for their fat to grease the deviVs car''

riage, etc'

There can be no more

reliable historical

document than
This
letter

that published by an association of Baptists.

shows that the Baptists of Ashfield, Massachusetts, had their

property sold by the Puritan Presbyterians, to pay for the
building of the Presbyterian meeting-house and the salary
of the Presbyterian minister; and

when driven out

of their

mock-sermon was preached to aggravate their distress. But the Baptists were not only persecuted in Massachusetts with fines and imprisonments they also suffered the same in Virginia and
possessions into the wilderness, a blasphemous
;

other States.
Bachus' Ch. His., ^^^
'

As many

as "thirty Baptist

ministers

'

?;

i'-\7'-' were imprisoned in Virginia

the

"for preaching
souls;"

Gospel to precious

and besides the imprisonment, they suffered nearly all kinds of abuse and insults from their enemies. Among these, Ave mention the names of James Ireland and John Weatherford. Ireland was seized by the throat, by the officers of the Established Church, while engaged in prayer in the congregation; and they immediately hurried him

away
Virqinia Baptist, 121 f

to jail in Culpepper.

"He
i.

was

companiedto prison amid the abuses oi his persecutors; and while incarcerated in his cell, not only suffered by the extreme inclemency of the weather, but by the personal maltreatment of his foes. They attempted to blow him up Avith gunpowder, but the quantity obtained was only sufficient to force up some of

j x

xi

ac^^
-

'

tlie

flooring of his prison."

life

by

suffocation,

They attempted to destroy his from burning brimstone, but failed.

Modern
They
also

^Baptists (Persecuted.

277

formed a plot

to poison

him, wliich was unsuc-

cessful.

And the only charge laid against this devoted man of God was that of " preaching the G(jspel of the Son
of God/'

During

his imprisonment,

Elder Ireland en-

joyed so much of the Divine presence that he was accus-

tomed

to call his prison

^^my palace in Culpepper/^

Elder John Weatherford was very successful in his minHis success roused the resentment of his Episcopal istry.
enemies, and he was soon thrown into prison, where he

remained

five

months.

But

^^

his

courage
^^''^''' ^'"1^'
Minister, p. 49.

forsook hiui not.

strained him.

The

lovo of Christ con-

lie preached at the door

of the prison as long as allowed the privilege;

when

re-

fused that, he preached through the grates of the window.

But such determined opposition did he meet, that an was made by his enemies to put a stop to that also.
this purpose, they built

effort

Eor

an outer wall above the grate.

to

But Weatherford devised means

overcome the

obstacle.

handkerchief, by

tlie

congregation, was to be raised

on a pole above the wall, as a signal that the people were ready to hear. His voice being very strong, he could

throw
of
life

it

beyond these impediments, and convey the words

and salvation to the listening crowd. Before his release, some souls were blessed, and he was owned as the honored instrument of their conversion." Ministers were

sent for,

who

baptized the converts in the night that were

thus converted under the preaching of this jnisoner of the

is given by Joseph Belcher, of an instance of the persecutions of a Baptist minister by the name of Shubael Dimock, in Connecticut: ^'Just as Shubael closed his sermon at a school-house in Mansfield,

Lord Jesus. The following account

278

The True Church

(Persecuted.

a sheriff arrested him,

Windham

jail.

His
i

offense

upon a warrant to commit him to was as follows: ^The said

.

Reliqiom Denom,, ^_p

'

preaclimo; in a school-house

Shubael Dimock has been convicted of i\r a Mansneld,

.

-i

and under an oak

was required to walk before the
replied, ^I

tree in Ashford.'

He

officer to prison.

But he

have no

call there; neither

can I voluntarily

go, since I

have said^ God willing, I Avill preach this evening in Ashford under the oak tree.^ The officer urged
it

that

W3S

his

duty to commit him to

jail.

'

Well, then,'

you must attend to it I shall not resist.' He was at length set upon a horse and directed to guide it to AVindham. Even this he refused to do, and the sheriff was compelled to mount the horse behind, and with his arms around him
said the prisoner, ^If
;

you have a duty

to perform,

to guide the horse to the prison.

Here he

lay confined

nine months,

still

proclaiming the truth as he had opporit

tunity, for he declared that

was impossible

to prevent his

preaching unless they cut out his tongue." Of such imprisonments and persecutions, " Many instances might be

given
Reliqious Denom.,
-.gQ

^^r

such as that on June 4, 1768, John ^^ t r>, t /^i m i i alker, LfCwis Craig, James Childs, and
:

others were dragged before the magistrates

in Spottsylvania county,

and bound over

'

for trial.

Three

days

after,

they were indicted as

disturbers of the peace.'

The
^

prosecuting attorney

May it please

made this formidable charge; your worships, these men are great disturbthey can not meet a

ers of the peace;

man
down

in the road

but they must ram a text of Scri2)ture

his throat.'

It was these persecutions against the Baptists of Virginia which aroused the sympathies of the renowned Patrick Henry, and caused him to volunteer his services in the

Modern

^Baptists ^Persecuted,

279

defense of the poor ministers Avho were dragged before the

court as criminals
of- God/'

^^

for preaching the

Gospel of the Son

in

The

resistless

eloquence of Mr. Henry, poured forth

the defense of three Baptist ministers, will ever be

rememthe
to the

bered by the friends of American liberty.

first

From
down

settlement of the Baptists in America

achievement of American independence, they Avere "insulted, fined, imprisoned,

and

despised.'^

Nor was

it

until

compelled by law, that the enemies of the Baptists ceased to

lay violent hands on
"VVe are

sons in

them on account of their principles. there are numbers of pious perthe various communions who did not then, nor would
glad to

know that

they now, indorse these persecuting measures against the

Baptists.

leaders

But circumstances indicate that many sectarian would now lay violent hands on faithful Baptist
This persecuting
spirit is

ministers as in former times.

developed from day to day in the sectarian papers, pamphlets

and books that are scattered broadcast over the land.

is

The

following

vember

26, 1868, a

found in the Banner of Peace, of NoCumberland Presbyterian paper: "I

is

think the Baptist Church

a clear despotism, if there

to cover their lips

is

one on earth

and they ought

and bury

their faces in everlasting shame, and cease to abuse the papacy of Rome, and other sects, as they call them." Elder N. H. Lee, of the Methodists, says: "It is not the

Baptist people, as such, that I oppose, but

principles

it

is

the false

and bigotry of her priesthood. '^ No doubt, such Baptist lovers as Elder Lee, and the Banner of Peace {f), if they had the power, would attempt to force Baptists, not only into "everlasting shame,'' but to prison and death, on the account of their " false principles and bigotry," as

280

TJie Trite

Church

(Persecuted.

their Pedobaptist ancestors, the Catholics,

have always

done when

in power.
is

books and tracts upon the Baptists on the account of their doctrine. Baptist views and history are continually misrepresented and perverted. Some
Tlie country
fully supplied with
in denunciations,

pouring their wrath,

who

profess great friendship for Baptists, try to associate

their history with the

mad

proceedings of Munster, or

with the nude baptisms of the Catholics.

And

he

who
is

now
trast

dares to faithfully advocate Baptist principles, in con-

with the ecclesiastical inventions of modern times,

sure to be followed by a hungry school of ecclesiastical

sharks, ready to devour his good name, and stamp, if possible,

"everlasting shame ^' and infamy on his character.

to

But I am happy
pious
])er,sous

know

that there are vast

numbers of
not

in the various sects

who would

harm

any one on the account of

Baptist preachers

his

principles.

We

here in-

troduce the speech of Patrick

Henry

in defense of three

who were on
is

trial for

preaching.

The

following quotation

from the Beligious Denominations,

by Mr. Belcher

:* "

to trial for preaching.

Three Baptist preachers were brought The indictment brought against them was 'For preaching the Gospel of
'^^'^
""-f

^'^tei-l^r'''''

^^

^^^'' c^ontrary to the statute in

and therefore, disturbwas reading the indictment in a slow and formal manner, and he pronounced the crime with emphasis, For pi^eaching the Gospel of the Son of
that case provided,
ers of the peace.

The

clerk

God/ when

a plain-dressed

man dismounted

his horse,

entered the court-house, and took his seat within the bar.

He

was know n

to the court

and lawyers, but a stranger

to

the mass of spectators

''It is

who had gathered on

the occasion.

this

.'3

the language ascribed to

agreed that Patrick Henry did defend these persecuted Baptists, but him by Dr. Peck.

Modem
cution,

(Baptists (Persecuted.

281

This was Patrick Plenry, who, on hearing of this prosehad rode some fifty or sixty miles, from his residence in Hanover county, to volunteer his services in the

defense of the prisoners.

He

listened to the further readattention, the first sen'

ing of the indictment with

marked

tence of which that had caught his ear, was,

For preachthe indict-

ing the Gospel of the Son of God.'

When

and the prosecuting attorney had subHenry arose, stretched out his hand and received the paper, and then addressed the court

ment had been

read,

mitted a few remarks,

^May
hold in

it

please your worships: I think I heard read

as I entered this house, the paper I

by the prosecutor

now

my hand.

If I have rightly understood, the king's

attorney of this colony has framed an indictment for the

purpose of arraigning and punishment by imprisonment,

three inoffensive persons before the bar of this court, for a

crime of great magnitude

jNIay it please the court,

as

disturbers of the j^eace.

what did I hear read?

it

Did I
I

hear

it

distinctly, or

was

a mistake of

my own? Did

hear an expression, as if a crime, that these men, wdiom

your worships are about to try for a misdemeanor, are and continuing in a low, solemn, charged with what

'

For preaching the Gospel of the Son of God Pausing, amidst the most profound silence and breathless astonishment of his hearers, he slowly waved
heavy tone
!

'

tho paper three times around his head, then, lifting up his

hands and eyes

clamation
ence were
*

to

heaven, with extraordinary and im'

pressive energy, he exclaimed,

the actionthe burst of

all
it

Great God
feeling;

'

The

ex-

from the audilike this,

overpowering.
please

]Mr.

Henry resumed
:

May

your worships

In a day
;

when

truth

is

about to burst her fetters

when

manjiiind

282

Th3 True Chzirch

(Persecuted.

are about to be raised to claim their natural

ble rights
;

and inaliena-

Avhen the yoke of oppression which has reached

the wilderness of America,

ecclesiastical

and

civil

and the unnatural alliance of power is about to be dissevered, at

such a period, when liberty

liberty of conscience

is

about to awake from her slumberings and inquire into the

reason of such charges as I find exhibited here to-day in
this

indictment

^
!

Another

fearful

pause, while

the

speaker alternately cast his sharp, piercing eyes on the

court and the prisoners, and resumed
:

If I

am

not de-

ceived, according to the contents of the paper I

in

my hand,

pel of the

now hold men are accused of preaching the GosAnother long Son of God/ Great God
these
^
!

pause, during which he again ^yaved the indictment around

his

head, while a

deeper impression was

his

made on the
please your

auditory.

Resuming
;

speech

May

it

worships

there are periods in the history of man,

corruption and depravity have so long debased the

character that
or's

when human
;

man

sinks under the weight of the oppress-

hand and becomes his servile his he bows licks the hand that smites him ence to the mandates of the despot, and
;

abject slave

he

in passive obediin this state of

servility

he receives his

fetters of perj^etual

bondage.

But,

may it please your worships, such a day From the period when our fathers left
nativity for settlement in these

has passed away

the land of their
for

EUTY

science

for civil to

and

religious liberty

worship their

ceptions of Heaven's

Lib of conCreator according conrevealed from the moment

American wilds
for liberty to their
will,

they placed their feet on the American continent, and in

the deeply imbedded forests sought an asylum from persecution and tyranny

from

that

moment despotism was

Modern
crushed
;

(Baptists (Persecuted.

28o

her fetters of darkness were broken, and Heaven

decreed that

man

should be free

free to

worship

God

ac-

eoi'ding to the Bible.

Were

it

not for

this, in

vain have
;

been the

efforts

and

sacrifices of the colonists

in vain

and bloodshed to subjugate this new world, if we, their offspring, must still be oppressed and persecuted. But, may it please your worships, permit me to inquire once more For what are these men about to be tried ? This paper says, for preaching the Gospel of the Son of God.' Geeat God For preachmg the
all their sufferings
:

were

Savior to Adam's fallen race.'

After another pause, in tones of thunder he inquired:

^

What law have they

violated ?

'

Then,

for the

third time, in a slow, dignified manner, he lifted his eyes

to heaven,

The

court and the audience were

and waved the indictment around his head. now wrought up to the

most intense pitch of excitement. The face of the prosecuting attorney was pale and ghastly, and he appeared unconscious that his whole frame was agitated with alarm and the judge, in a tremulous voice, put an end to the
scene,
tive

now becoming extremely painful, by the authoritacommand ^Sheriff discharge those men!^''
:

We

have not mentioned a

tithe of the persecutions

waged against modern

Baptists.

I must express the de-

liberate opinion, that if the

men who denounce and mis-

represent us to the extent of their ability, only had the

power, they would apply fines and imprisonments as did

the Episcopalians in the time of Patrick

Henry. Other authorities might be introduced to exhibit the bitterness of the opposition waged against Ba})tists from

the

modern pulpit and

press.

We

have found that the

is

Bible characteristic that the

kingdom of Jesus Christ

284

The True CJnirch

(Persecuted.

and every-where spoken against, is modern history of the Baptists. They have been persecuted as no others have been, Vv^ith peculiar hate and unrelenting bitterness. We now come to the close of the investigatioUj which settles, beyond sucpeculiarly persecuted
fully identified in

the

cessful contradiction, the fact that the seven leading

tist

Bap-

peGuliarities are in reality the Bible peculiarities pos-

sessed by the apostolio churches.

acteristic features at

We

find the

same charto

both ends of the chain of church suc-

cession.

And

as these leading

essential features of the

marks are proved kingdom of Jesus Christ

tliis

be

in its
is

divine organization, and the prophetic ^\o^d of

God

pledged for the perpetuity of

therefore

cluirch or

kingdom,
to the
visible

we may

expect to find these marks of identity

in

possessed by the

same kingdom
ail these

every age

down

present time.
at the

Though

marks may not be

same time

to the eye of the historian, yet a suffi-

cient

number of them may be discovered

Yv^e will

to indicate the

line of succession of that

church against which the gates

proceed in the

of hell were never to prevail.

next chapter with these seven Baptist marks, verified by

the Scriptures, as a kind of standard, to measure the different periods
tist

on the

line of succession, to see if these

Bap-

features

have identified the church from the apostolic

age down to the present-

(BoZpiist

Succession.

285

CHAPTER

XV.

PEIMITIVE CHURCHESFROM THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH TO THE NOVATIAN RUPTUREA PERIOD OF ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS.
1.

2.
3.

Pectjltaeities applied to the Primitive Chukches. Bishop aitd EldePv the same Office.

Ehkoes which oeiginated in this Period.

Section I. Peculiaeities applied to the primitive CHUECHES.

Ill tlie

application of the Baptist peculiar

marks

to this
it

period, very little

more remains

to

be done, because

has

already been fully established that these Baptist marks

are really the

marks of the

apostolic churches.

arisen no dispute

among

historians that the

There has main body of

Christian churches bore the apostolic character during the

period
fore,

we now have under

to the

consideration.

It

may, theremain, pos-

be considered as settled, that the primitive churches,

down
ties

middle of the third century,

;

in the

sessed the Bible peculiarities

and, as these Bible peculiari-

are also the Baptist peculiarities, therefore these prim-

itive

churches possessed the Baptist peculiarities.

first,

As

re-

gards peculiarity

which recognizes Jesus Christ as the Head and Founder of his church, up to this time none had dared. to deny the supremacy of Jesus Christ as In speaking the Founder and Head of his own church. of Jesus Christ as the Founder and Head of the model
church at Jerusalem, ^Ir. Jones, the historian, says
:

" If

286

(primitive

C Jlurches.
church or kingdom of
its

this be a just representation of the

Christ as
.'

it

appeared in

establishment,

*'

it is

in

whenever we trace it subsequent periods^ we must find somemanifest, that

it

thing that resembles

in

its

leading features.

We

shall

same views of the character and work of the Savior, owning subjection to him as the king whom God hath set upon his holy hill of Zion, evincing their allegiance to him by an implicit obedience to his laws, institutions, and ordinances, and discarding the doctrines and commandments of men. As the church at Jerusalem was the first Christian church established by the ministry of the apostles, so it was designed to serve as a pattern, in its faith and order, to all succeeding churches to the end of the world."
discern a people holding
tlie

It

is

admitted, that the churches of these early times

;

course, they

modeled after the Jerusalem pattern and, of acknowledge Jesus as their Founder and Head, because the Jerusalem church the pattern had That these early the Savior as its Founder and King.
were
all

churches had no

human

head,
:

is

seen in the following,

from Mosheim, the historian

doubtedly, the
Mos^Ch. History,
^^p^g^i^g

"

The

people were, unauthority

;

first in

for the

showed, by their

own example,
to be carried

that nothina: of moment,

was

on or determined without the consent of the assembly;

and such a method of proceeding was both prudent and

necessary in those critical times."

This point was settled in the Bible investigation, which proved that the Baptist doctrine, which recognizes Jesus as the Founder- and Head of his church, is also the teaching of the

Word

of God.

AVe may conclude, therefore,

burial in (Baptism.

287

that the churches of this j)rlmitlve period retained the

J]ible teaching, that Jesus Christ is the only

Founder and

re<^ards the second and third peculiarities, which acknowledge the Scriptures as the rule of faith and practice and the divine order of the commandments, history affords no evidence that any other stanchird of faith except the Scriptures had been adopted in this period and, consequently, the order of the commandments remained unchanged, and therefore these early churches bore the .second and third peculiarities of the Baptists as laid down in our catalogue. During this period the Christians had
;

Head As

of his churcli.

no

human

creeds or confessions of faith prepared by eccle-

siastical

reformers to govern the churches.

Their appeal

was
It

to the laws of Jesus Christ as given

by the apostles

in all

matters of religion.
is

also easily established that these early churches

bore the peculiarity which requires the burial in baptism

of those
'^

who are dead to sin. Mosheim says of this period The sacrament of baptism was administered in this cen;

tury (the
blies,

first)

without the public assem'^'

that purpose, and

and prepared lor ,.^ was performed by an immersion of the whole body in the baptismal font." There was no sprinkling or infant baptism known In The whole body was buried or imthe -first century. mersed in the baptismal font. And, of the second cen " The persons tury, the same historian testifies as follows
places appointed
:

that were to be baptized, after they liad re-

peated the creed, confessed and renounced

. . . .

^^'^'-^^''^^'^'^^'11'

their sins,
his

and particularly the devil and pompous allurements; were inmiersed under water.

P- "i''

288

(Primitive Clmrche:.

kingdom by a solemn invocaand Holy Ghost, according to the ex])ress command of our blessed Lord." It was not until about the commencement of the third
and received
into Christ's
tion of Father, Son,

century that
introduced.

tlie

error of baptismal salvation began to be

On this point George Waddington, the learned

^'

Episcopal historian, remarks:

of the
Il'iS.

The

original simplicity
rpi

office

of baptism had already unj.-

of the Church, ^j'

'

dergone some corruption.

Ihe symbol

had been gradually exalted

beginning to be
ing ground
lost in its

at the expense

of the thing signitied, and the spirit of the ceremony was

form.

Hence

a belief

was gain-

among

the converts, and was inculcated

among
all

the heathen, that the act of baptism gave remission of

sins

committed previously to

it."

It

was thus

in the early

part of the third century that the doctrine of baptismal

salvation gained ground, especially in Africa.

Neander,
the

the celebrated historian, sustains this view in the follow-

ing language:
ITis.

"But

while, on

one
^

Three Centur
^^^.

-1 hand, the doctrine 01 the corruption and

i

.1

guilt inherited

by human nature, as the

form, which

consequence of the

tirst

transgression,

more systematic and

larly the case in the

distinct

was reduced into a was particu-

North African Chui?ch (See below,

in the history of the doctrines of Christianity), on the

other hand, from want of proper distinction between the

external and internal things of baptism (the baptism of

water, and the baptism of the Spirit), the idea was forever

gaining ground, and becoming more firmly fixed, that

without outward baptism no one could be freed from that

inherited guilt, saved from the eternal punishment which

threatened him, or brought to eternal happiness; and

v.'hile

(Burial of the (Dead to Sin.

the idea of the magical effects of the sacrament
stantly obtaining

289

was conmore and more sway, the theory of the

luiconditlonal necessity of infant baptism developed itself

from that idea.^

testifies

Here Ncander, the Lutheran

historian,

that baptismal salvation gained ground in the early

part of the third century; and that infant baptism was

developed from

it;

therefore,

it

was the error of baptismal

salvation which, brought forth infant baptism.

Now,

as

we have
churches

the testimony of

Neander that neither baptismal

their

salvation nor infant baptism prevailed in the primitive

converts in

and we have already seen that they buried baptism peculiarity

therefore,

fourth, the

burial in baptism of those

sin, is

who

are dead

to,

or freed from,

sustained in the practice of those primitive churclies.

On
,

the question of the action of baptism, Neander affirms

that:
1
1

"Baptism

w^as

originally adminis1

tered by immersion, and

many

ot the

r>

parisons of St. Paul allude to this

its

comform of
is

His. Three Centu.

,_

administration

the immersion

a symbol of death,

of being buried with Christ; the coming forth from the

water
old

is

a symbol of a resurrection with Christ:

and both
intro-

taken together, represent the second birth, the death of the

man and

a resurrection to a

new

life.'^

The

duction of affusion for baptism only began to be practiced near the close of this period in

some

sections, in the

case of clinics

namely, sick persons.

All candid histori-

ans agree that believer's immersion Avas the prevailing

practice of the primitive churches; and, as will be seen
hereafter, the

same prevailed almost universally

point
is

for 1,300

years.

The

clearly

made

out, that the primitive

churches possessed the leading characteristic peculiarity

of the burial in baptism of professed believers

tlio i-cgen-

290

(Primitive Churches.
also clearly established that the primitive
fifth,

en\te.

It

is

churches retained j^cculiarity

Christ.

^vhich recognizes equal

rights in the execution of the laws of the

kingdom of Jesus

Mr. Waddington says " It is also true that in the earliest government of the first Christian
:

"^''^^'

pp. 20, 21.

'^'oA

01

societv, that of Jerusalem, not the elders '

'

only, but the

whole church were

is

associ-

ated with the apostles

andxit

even certain that the terms

first

bishop and elder, or presbyter, were, in the

instance,

and

for a short period,

sometimes used synonymously, and

indiscriminately applied to the same order in the ministry. '^

Yes:

it

is

true that in the earliest government of the

Christian churches, the

together.

whole church

were associated

This description can now apply to no denomiAll other denominations

nation except the Baptists.

make
their

various distinctions in point of privilege

among

members, and are not associated

in

church discipline, or

the execution of the law^s of Jesus Christ. The same his" In this election torian remarks, that
:

JTis.

of the Church, / ^ \ .^ (01 pastors) the 23

j.

people had an equal share

with the presbyters and inferior clergy,

without exception or distinction
right in this matter

and it is clear that their was not barely testimonial, but judiThis appointment was final, requiring cial and elective. no confirmation from the civil power or any superior prelate; and thus, in the management of its internal affairs, every church was essentially independent of every other." The same is confirmed by the learned Mosheim, who says
;

*^It was,
'

therefore, the assembly of the

*'
'

^^'

people which chose rulers and teachers, or

received

them by

free

and authoritative

Equality in (Primitive Churches.

consent
rejected
M'ere

291

when recommended by

others.

The same
;

people

or confirmed, by their suffrages, the laws that

proposed by their rulers to the assembly

excommu-

nicated profligate and unworthy

members of

the church;

restored the penitent to their forfeited privileges; passed

and community; examined and decided the disputes which happened between the elders and deacons; and, in a word, exercised all that authority which belongs to such as are invested with sovereign
different subjects of controversy

judgment upon the

dissention that arose in their

jwwer/^

This description of the churches of

apply to no denomination on earth,
the Baptists.

this early period will

known

to

me, except
'

Again, Mosheim says:

first

"A
and
the
'^**

bishop [or pastor,] during the second century, was a person

^ ^^'

who had

care of one Christian assembly, which, at that time was,

generally speaking, small enough to be contained in a

private house.

In this assembly he acted, not so much

dili-

with the authority of a master, as with the zeal and

gence of a faithful servant.^'
It can be

amply

sustained,

from a multitude of historians of different

parties, that

the primitive churches, next to the apostolic age, maintained the equality, in point of privilege, of all the
bers of the churches, in the execution of church

mem-

disci})line,

which characterized the apostolic churches, and which now distinguish the Baptists from all other denominations
of Christendom.

Some persons seem to regard the form of church government a very trivial affair, and conclude that it matters very little whether the church government is a monarchy, aristocracy, or a democracy; and that a privileged class of
'

292

(Primitive Churches.
a perfect right to make, change or abolish church

men have
laws, rites

and ceremonies, at pleasure. Such persons deny made any laws whatever for the government of his own kingdom These have partaken of the blasphemy of the little horn, of whom it was said "And ^^^ shall speak great words against the Most 97 High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws." As all the false churches were set up and introduced by preachers, they have not failed to make ample provision for their own elevation and authority in those organizations but in the kingdom of Christ, we find the people
that Jesus Christ
!
:

equal in authority in
trial

all

matters of discipline, even to the

of preachers themselves.

In regard to this equality

in the early churches,

Bob.^s Eccl. Res.,
p. 123.

Mr. Robinson, the historian, says "In the first period, which includes three
j.

.^^

'

centuries, Christians were united as lust

r^i

j.*

-j.

j.

was an union or compact, tacit or expressed, and the discipline was a confederNobody Avas compelled to joiri. a church ate equality.
It

now mentioned.

"^

each was admitted singly, at his

sent of the whole society
;

own

request,

by the con-

affairs

were debated and trans-

acted by all; whoever were excluded, were excommunicated by joint consent, and if they repented and requested
re-admission, they Avere re-admitted in the same manner;

church

officers

were voluntarily elected for the sake of or-

der; no society had any control over another,

might be given, but civil coersion this Avas whole was a state of perfect popular freedom a fraternal system of order." Thus, Ave find the practice
:

was unknown
;

advice the

of the primitiA^e churches in perfect harmony Avith the

Scriptures and the churches under apostolic direction.

Equality in the (Pfimitive Churches,

293

Miall, in his Memorials of Early Christianity, declares " That each Christian church was, in the
earliest period of ecclesiastical history, infiu^-^f

^/
is

dividualized and unassociated, except by

the religious feelings which alike pervaded
all,

ad-

mitted by the most candid historians.'^

And

this liberty

and equality
tended to
to vote in
:

in the transaction of church business ex-

all classes

of members.

Women
this point,

Avere allowed

church business.
1.

On

Neander

re-

marks "As Christianity did not annihilate

" ,1 T X the peculiar arrangements ot our nature,

His.

Three First
,

^
it

,.

founded in the laws of our original creation,

but sanctified and ennobled them,

life,

did not

(al-

though, in reference to the higher

the partition-wall

between

and

in

man and wife was taken him man and wife became
it

aw^ay through Christ,

one),
it

did not, I say,

allow the female sex to step out of the peculiar habits and
destination indicated for

by nature

herself.
:

AVomen
34) from

alone are interdicted by St. Paul (1 Cor. xiv

speaking in the church

proof, also, that

no other exjustly,

ception from this general right of all Christians existed.''

The

historian here

draws the conclusion, very

we

think, that

women

are privileged to exercise all the duties

of other members, unless interdicted by Inspiration.

They
in the

were only forbidden to speak on certain occasions

other duties of church members.

church, which indicates the right for them to exercise the

And

in this early period,

slaves themselves were not prohibited from the exercise of

equal privilrges with other members. On this point, Mr. Robinson remarks, that " It is clear that
:

such slaves as chose to become Christians

woi'e treated

^^1^
p. GOO.

'^*

^-^

''

by the churches

as brethren

294

(Primitive Churches.

were admitted to fellowship, and, in

character to the Gospel that

all religious matters,

put on a footing of equality with their masters.

it

It was a was embraced by freemen

that slaves very seldom appeared in the primitive churches,

and
sion

that,

when they
as slaves

did, they appeared without

not

but as brethren/^

compulOther authorities

might be adduced on this point; but it is unnecessary: for it is established, beyond reasonable doubt, that the primitive churches, during this period, possessed the Bible characteristic which now distinguishes the Baptists the
equality of jprivilege in the execution of the laws in the

kingdom of Clirist. Furthermore there

:

is

no

difficulty in

proving that the

It
is

primitive churches retained the sixth peculiarity.

already settled that the churches planted by the apostles

were

strict in their
strict

terms of communion.

And

as the Bible

demands
lar

communion
it is

and

it

is

admitted that the

primitive churches conformed to the Bible in this particu-

therefore

admitted that the primitive churches

were

strict in their

terms of communion.

And

no one will

contend that the primitive churches

communed with the modern sects that now demand communion with Baptists; and, therefore, those who commune with these sects find
neither precept nor example in the

Word

of God, or in the

churches that flourished immediately after the apostolic age,

for

such an inconsistent practice.

The mighty

flood of per-'

was not intended to make them give up their religion, but to force them to acknowledge the validity of pagan worship by burning incense to their gods, and thus communing with them. They were persecuted, not because they professed the
secution against the early Christians

Christian religion, but because they claimed

it

as the only

(kestricted

Cc^nmunion.

295

They would not, by any act of affiliation or communion, recognize the authority of the pagan worship. Pliny, the younger, said of them "For I did not in the least hesitate, but that what^^^^
true religion.
:
*

''^''

ever should appear on confession to be their

faith,

yet that their forwardness and inflexible obstinacy

would certainly deserve punishment.'^

asks:

But Mr. Jones

It could
v'as

"What was
enough.
It

the ^inflexible obstinacy?'

not be in f)rofessing a

new

religion

that

a thing com-

was the refusing all communion with to throw a grain of incense on their altars. For we must not think, as is commonly imagined, that this was at first enforced by the magistrate to make them renounce their religion; but only to give a test of its hospitality and sociablcness of temper. It was, indeed, and rightly, too, understood by the Christians to be a renouncing of their religion, and so, accordingly, abstained from. The misfortune was, that the pagans did not consider the inflexibility as a mere error, but as an immorality likewise. This unsociable, uncommunicable temper in matters of religious worship, \vas esteemed, by the best of them, as a hatred and aversion to mankind. Thus, Tacipaganism

mon

refusing

tus,
*

speaking of the burning of Rome,

all

calls Christians

persons convicted of hatred to

mankind.'

But how?.

The

confessions of the pagans themselves concerning the

purity of the Christian morals, shows this could be no

other than a being ^convicted' of rejecting
all

intercom-

munity of worship,

which,

so great

was

their prejudice,

they thought could proceed from nothing but hatred to-

ward mankind.

Universal prejudice had made

men

re-

gard a refusal of this intercommunity as the most brutal of all dissociability. And the Emperor Julian, who un-

29

(Primitive Chtivches.

derstood this matter the best of any, fairly owns that the

Jews and Christians brought the execration of the world upon them by their aversion to the gods of paganism, and
their refusal of all

communication with them/'

The whole

sectarian world,

which may be regarded as

Christianized paganism,

now
all

look upon the true Baptists

in a similar light as did the ancient

Christians
truth, the

who

refused

pagans upon the early communion with them. In

modification, will

above quotation from Jones, with very little now represent the views and feelings of

other denominations toward Baptists.

tions accuse us, as the

These denominapagans did the early Christians,

with "refusing
ters of religious

all

communion with" them; with being

"unsociable" "and uncommunicable;" of temper "in mat-

worship;" and with being "persons con-

victed of hatred to all" other denominations.

joice in the fact that

But we
for the
first

re-

we

are

now reproached

very

same practice that brought reproach upon the

tians after the apostolic age.
to the
'

Chris-

And Mosheim says, in

regard

catechumens, that: " The latter w^ere

as

21

swc\\

God and

had not yet been dedicated to Christ by baptism, and were,

therefore, neither admitted to the public prayers nor to

the holy communion, nor to the ecclesiastical assemblies."

These catechumens who were, in the latter part of the second century, considered imperfect Christians, Avere not, ns unbaptized persons, admitted to the communion of the
ch arch. Justin Martyr, who wrote his apology, which was addressed to the Emperor Antoninus Pius, about the year

138 after Christ, speaks of the order of bapMemo. of Early Christ p 182
i i t rtism and communion, as reported by Miall,
,

-,

as follows:

"He

speaks of the received

(Restricted

Ccmmunion.

297

and baptized convert admitted by the kiss of peace, and

of the
administration
of the
eucharist to the convert

by the presiding bishop; which observance he dechires the heathens to have imitated in the Mithryan
so baptized

mysteries."
that, "

Thus we

find, that

in the second century

baptism preceded the Lord's Supper.

Miall also affirms

1

The Lord's Supper was not

,1
1

crimmately administered
for those

11' being

indis-

reserved

Memo, of Early
^,
-'
.

oo^

who had been

^

baptized, and

who
was speak-

had previously
Tertullian,

received, according to the expression of

pious initiation.' "

This

last writer

ing of the practice of

communion in the third century. The ancient Pedobaptists were more consistent than the modern, on the communion question; for, when infant
baptism was
with
for
first

introduced on the ground of

its

necessity

to infant salvation, infant

it

communion was aslo connected the same purpose. Modern Pedobaptists with-

hold the Supper from their infant members,

regard as in the church
tist
;

whom

they

and yet they complain of BapNeander, speaking of the

rise

"close" communion!

of infant baptism and communion, remarks:

in the

"As
.

it

was
Three
r,.-,

cessity ot iniant
.

North African Church that the neNean. Hist /?/?, 1,baptism was . iirst pecu- ^< ^
i.
.

liarly insisted

on, so also

Til.. did they join

Centuries, p. 213.

with this notion that of infant communion.^'

But enouo:h

on this point
tliis

no one pretends that the true churches of period practiced open communion. Thus it is fully
:

developed that the Bible peculiarity, which

tist

is

also a

Bapprim-

peculiarity, that the Lord's table

is

is

restricted to the

Lord's kingdom,
itive churches.

identified in the practice of the

:

Once more

that the true church or

kingdom

of Jesus Christ was peculiarly persecuted, will be easily

298

(Primitive Chiirciies.

identified in the history of the churches of this period.

It

was declared by the Savior himself, that the true

should be hated of
peror of
all

disciples

nations for his name's sake.

JSTero,

heim, the historian, informs us that

Moswho was em-

Rome

in the first century, accused the Christians

of having set

fire to

the city

committed,

and

a crime which he himself had

^^
^
j.\

Mos. Ch. History, ^'

p. 16.

.^

He therefore wrapped up some of them in combustible garments, ir^.i xxxi and ordered fire to be set to them when the darkness came on, that thus, like torches,
to punish them,
i

they might dispel the obscurity of the night ; while others

by wild beasts, or put to death in some such dreadful manner. This horrid persecution was set on foot in the month of November, in the sixty-fourth year of Christ and in it, according to some ancient accounts, St. Paul and St. Peter suffered martyrdom, though the latter assertion is contested by
were fastened
to crosses, or torn to pieces
;

many

as being absolutely irreconcilable with chronology.'^

It will be observed, that during this period, extending to

the middle of the third century, the Christians were per-

secuted by the heathen.

The

horrid and blasphemous

practice of professed Christians slaughtering each other in

the

name of Jesus
It

Christ, was, at this period,

unknown

to

the world.

was during

this time that the ten

pagan

persecutions spent their fury against the disciples of the

despised Nazarine.

No

history,

whether sacred or profane,

has ever questioned the fact that these early Christians

were peculiarly persecuted by their own emperors.

'

'f

"^ po

'^''

Mr. Lyons was again visited with the vengeance of the emOrchard says: "The
city of

peror.
tians of this city

Severus, in 202, treated the Chris-

with the greatest cruelty.

Such was the

(Restricted

Coimnunion.

299

excess of his barbarity that the rivers were colored with

human

blood,

and the public places of the

It
is

city

were

filled

with the dead bodies of professors.

church, that since
its

recorded of this

formation

it

has been watered with

the blood of twenty thousand martyrs/^

And

the suffer-

ings of the disciples of Christ in this city, are only a sam-

what they suffered in other countries. Among the vast numbers who were tortured in this city, Eusebius gives the following account of several individuals: "Maturus, therefore, and Sanctus, and Blandina, and
ple of

Attains, to were led into the amphitheater ' ^

.J. \S^
pp. 1/0, 1/6.

''

the wild beasts,

and

to the

common

spec-

tacle of heathenish

inhumanity,

the

day

for exhibiting

the fight with wild beasts being designedly published on

our account.
passed through
as if they

Maturus, however, and Sanctus, again

all

the tortures in the amphitheater, just

had
in

suffered nothing at all before, or rather as

trials

those
sary,

who

many

before

and now contending

for the

had defeated the advercrown itself, again, as

they passed, bore the strokes of the scourge usually inflicted

and lacerations from the beasts, and all and another there, cried for and demanded; and last of all, the iron chair, upon which their bodies wel-e roasted, while the fumes of their own flesh ascended to annoy them. The tormentors
there, the draggings

of the madness of the people, one here

did

iiot

cease even then, but continued to rage so

if possible, to

much

the

more, intending,

conquer their perseverance.

They could

not, however, elicit or hear

anything from

Sanctus besides that confession which he had uttered from

These two, therefore, in whom life for the remained had through the mighty conflict, were most part On that day they were made an exat last dispatched.
the beginning.

300

(Primitive Churches.

hibition to the world, in place of the variety of gladiatorial

combats.

Blandina, however, was bound and sus-

pended on a stake, and thus exposed as food to the assaulu of wild beasts; and as she thus appeared to hang after the

manner of the

cross,

by her earnest prayers she infused

much alacrity into the contending martyrs. * ^ ^ ^ But as none of the beasts then touched her, she was taken down from the stake and remanded back again to prison, * * ^ Thus she to be reserved for another contest. overcome the enemy in many trials, and in -the conflict
received the crown of immortality.^' Attains, after being

twice exposed in the theater,

was

finally beheaded.

Vast numbers were thus

tortured,

and

after their death

many
city,

of their bodies w^re cast into heaps outside of the

to

and guarded day and night

prevent friends from

burying the remains of their mutilated bodies.

tudes suifered throughout the

Multi-

Roman

empire.

At Carwe only
females,

thage the cruelty resembled that perpetrated at Lyons.

Among

the multitudes of martyrs at this city,

give the account of the cruel

as reported in Jones'

martyrdom of two

Church History.

After Perpetua had entered the theater

beasts, singing praises to

among
is

the wild

God, her execution

first

thus re-

ported

" Perpetua and Felicitas were

net,
'

inclosed in a

and then exposed

to a

wild cow.

But

'

-.-.^

this sight struck the spectators with horror, as the

former w^as a delicate woman,

and the breasts of the

ter her delivery.

latter

were streaming with milk

af-

They

w^ere, therefore, recalled,

and ex-

posed in a

common

by the
ence of

beast, and, being

mind to

Perpetua was first tossed thrown down, she had the prescompose her dress as she lay on the ground.
loose dress.

(Primitive Churches (Persecuted.

301

Then

rising,

and seeing Felicitas mucli more torn than

;

gave her hand and assisted her to rise and for some time they both stood together, near the gate of the amphitheater. Thither Perpetua sent for her brother, and exhorted him to continue firm in the faith, to love
herself, she

his fellow Christians,

sufferings.

Being

all in

and not to be discouraged by her a mangled condition, they were

nov/ taken to the usual place of execution, to be dispatched

with a sword

but the populace requesting that they should

be removed to another place, where the execution might be

seen to
to go thither.

more advantage, they got up, of their own accord, Then, having given each other the kiss of

In had supported Perpetua, and he expired the first. She was observed to direct a young and ignorant soldier, who was appointed to be her executioner, in ^Yhat manner he should perform his office." The malignant enmity of the carnal heart was manifested in the persecution and crucifixion of Jesus Christ and after his execution the apostles fell martyrs to the fury of the heathen world. And the same unrelenting persecution followed the pathway of the Church of Christ through the period of the primitive churches which we have been considering. Therefore, these ancient churches possessed, in an eminent degree, the Bible peculiarity of being persecuted and every-where spoken against. We have seen, in the foregoing examination, that the Bible
charity, they quietly resigned themselves to their fate.

^Yalking, Saturus

characteristics are sufficiently developed in the history of

these early churches to identify

of Christ
ities,

and

these

them with the kingdom same peculiarearly churches were such as would now be
as Baptists

now

possess the

called Baptist churches.

302

(Primitive Churches.

Section

II.

Bishop and elder the same office

In human religions societies the membership have not only been deprived of their rights of participation in the transaction of church business, but a gradation of ministerial offices has been inaugurated which places some ministers

over others in point of

It will be found,

office,

as lords over their

brethren.

upon a

strict

examination of

the

New

Testament, that there are only tw^o classes of

churches of Christ, and they are chosen by,
to,

officers in the

and are amenable

the churches for their

official actions.-

In truth, they are only servants of the churches.

fully showui in chapter twelve,

This was
fifth
is

where peculiarity

tested

by the Bible.
this place

At

we design

to introduce authorities to

show

that the primitive churches recognized the Bible doctrine

of the

official

equality of bishops (episcopoi)

and
:

elders

(presbuteroi).

Mr. Miall,
i i

in his

Memorials, says
,i

" But,

besides these extraordinary officers, each

Memo, of Earlu
r,j
,.

^(.

i church possessed the power, under the ad-

ij.ii

vice

and admonition of the

apostles, of
its

electing distinct officers for the

arrangement of

peculiar

These were presbyters (as they were designated by the application of a term in use by the Jewish synaconcerns.

gogues) or bishops (as they Avere called at a somewhat

later

period by a phrase

familiar to

Gentile

usages).
re-

The terms

are obviously interchangeable

the former
i
.

ferring to the character

which

fitted

them

for the cffice;

the latter to the relations of the office

His.
turies

itself.'^

And Ne-

Three

Cen-

106

ander, the historian, to the same effect, ni ,i ainrms ^ I hat the .name also, episcopos^

was

altogether

synonymous

with

that

(Bishop

and Elder

the

Same

Office.

303

passages of is clearly collected by the (Acta interchanged are where appellations both Scripture Titus, Epistle to XX ; compare ver. 17 with ver. 28 ch. i verses 5 and 7), as well as from those where the mention of the office of deacon follows immediately after

of

presbyter,

that of ^episcopi;' so that a third class of officers could

not

lie

between the

two.''

And

even Mr. Waddington,

:

the Episcopal historian, affirms that

" It

is

also true,
lu^ch

that in the earliest government of the

first

Christian

society

1cm not the ciders only, but the whole church were associated with the apostles and it is even certain that the terms bishop and ekler, or presbyter, were
:

that

of Jcrusa-

^'^^-^

^^

in the first

instance,

and

for a short period,

sometimes

used synonymously, and indiscriminately applied to the

same order

in the ministry."
is

Thus

it

seen that the early churches of this period

followed the example of the apostolic churches in the election of their officers. in the churches has

The gradation of

ministerial offices

no support from the Scriptures.

The

only

offices

retained in the churches are those of ddevs or

bishops and deacons, and these must be chosen or elected

by the churches.
the churches,
bishoj:)
is

The

idea of a universal bishop over all

peculiar to

or elder, in the

Rome and her ofF-shoots. A New Testament, was simply a min-

ister

chosen and ordained to the work by the authority of

the congregation.

There were sometimes a plurality of

bishops in one church; and in the apostolic age the epis-

copacy of one elder never extended beyond the bounds of one congregation. The idea of one man acting as pastor
for three or four churches,
is

modern custom which should

be abandoned.

304

(Primitive Churches.

By reference to Acts, twentieth chapter, it will be seen that Paul " sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the
church/^ verse seventeen; and to the same eiders he said
^^ r.r. Acts 20: 28.

"Take
to all
,^

heed, therefore, unto vourselves, and \ \ ^^ X^ the Hock over the which the Holy (jrhost
^

r^

'

hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which

The word overGreek the word which is usually translated bishops; but to have rendered it bishops in this place, would have shown that elder and bishop is the same office, which would have condemned the church of the translators. In the first ages of the church, there was no such a thing known as the bishop of
seers in this passage, is episcopous in the

he hath purchased with his own blood. '^

a state or province.
Mos. Ch, History, ^'

Mosheim says: ^^A and second century, ^ i ^^ was a person who had the care oj one
before seen,
bishop, during the first
i

As

jr

Christian assembly, which, at that time,

was, generally speaking, small enough

private house.
the

to be contained in a In this assembly he acted, not so much with authority of a master, as with the zeal and diligence of

a faithful servants We have emphasized

call
left for

this statement of the historian to

attention to the importance of the subject.

It

was

the corruptions of after times to establish the dioepiscopacy, which has overshadowed

cesan

the nations
centuries.

with a gloomy spiritual despotism for

many

Section

III. Leading erroes which omGixATro DURING THIS PERIOD. The apostle Paul predicted that there would "come a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the

^n

of perdition

''
j

and that the

^Rise

of the Hierarchy.

305

"mystery of iniquity" had already begun to woriv in his time. It was the gradual introduction of thos'e errors that some regard as things non-essential, which has produced the mighty harvest of iniquity which has overshadowed the world for so many ages. Fiist, the hierarchy: Christian philosophers soon began to engraft Judaism and heathen philosophy into Ciiristianity. On this point, Mr. Robinson says: "In the third century Jewish theology drew off the at'^^' ^'' tention of Christians from the simplicity ^'J. of Jesus and the Gospel, and fixed it on an hierarchy, particularly in the great corrupt and wealthy churclies of Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, and Carthage. This introduced, by degrees, a second period, and second system of ecclesiastical management, named by this author, the Episcopal system of church law." It was as early as the beginning of the third century that some of the pastors or bishops began to assume unscriptural authority over the This was not the case among all the churches, churches. but it was only a few churches in the great cities, whose pastors had begun to assume the leadership. These churches were afterward called Metropolitan churches. We will name, therefore, as the first leading error of this period, the tendency toward a hierarchical form of church government. On this point, Miall remarks " It is, how-

own

ever, very

clear that

this

century wit^^^ ^f"!^' Christ, p. 227.

^'^

nessed a rapid increase of the hierarchical

power.

^ The

clergy began, for the

first

time, to be distinguished from the laity.

The

bishops

and offices of the Jewish priesthood. The primitive virtues by which many of the pastors of the Metropolitan churches were distinguished, caused them to
assumed the
titles

30(3

Primitive Churches,

be regarded as the advisers of neighboring churches, and

paved the way

an assertion of superiority which speedThis ily passed the bounds of apostolical prescription.'^ usurpation of authority over the churches, which began to
for
itself as early as the close

show

of the second century, contill

tinued gradually to unfold itself

the faithful churches

were compelled, in order to preserve their purity, to declare

non-fellowship

for those

ministers

and churches

which had adopted the corrupt principles of church government. It was this first apparently small departure from the true system of government which, in future times,
culminated into that huge system of stupendous fraud and
despotism knovrn as the Romanish Church.

Second

The second

leading error which originated in

this period, is the doctrine of

baptismal salvation.

This

doctrine was based

upon the

false interpretation of those

Scriptures which speak of baptism for remission of sins;

and
ing

especially John,

where they made horn o^ water, mean

principles of Scripture inter-

baptism.

It

is

admitted that baptism represents the wash-

away of sins.

The same

pretation which gave birth to ba])tismal salvation, also

gave birth to transubstantiation.

Of

this defection
^'
:

the truth on the part of some, Miall remarks

ante-JN'icene period, sin

from In the

was regarded much

than in
repentance

^ oro ni I ChrisL, p. 368.

more
its

in its overt demonstrations

spiritual

destructiveness;

had degenerated into penance; regeneration into baptism; by faith, into just what the ninetieth number of ^The Tracts for the Times' declares it to be; and sanctification was lost in the names of sacred persons, sacred things, and sacred places. All this was before the
justification

Papacy had begun

to blazon its triple crown, or to set its

Origin of (Baptismal Salvation.

feet

307

upon the necks of kings." It is difficult to ascertain what precise point of time the error of baptismal salvation was first advocated; it is certain, however, that it was advocated by a large number as early as the middle of the third century; and it is likely that some embraced this view as early as the close of the second century. Baptismal salvation was an innovation brought in, in some places, along with the change of the form of church government to a hierarchy. Neander and Waddington both testify that baptismal salvation was a departure from the
at

original doctrine of the design of baptism.

this superstitious error concerning
it

And when
to

baptism was established,

opened the way

for other superstitions,

which tended

clothe the baptismal ceremony with a mysterious grandeur

ple.

and importance which excited the admiration of the peoAmong the attending superstitions added to bap-

tismal salvation,

may

be mentioned the sign of the cross,

crism,

blowing

in the

mouth of the candidate, the use of

and the giving of the newly baptized persons milk and honey, as a symbol of the new life. Third: Another serious error, which appeared in this period, is that which is usually called infant baptism. This error originated about the beginning of the third
century.
It appeared immediately after the introduction It at first prevailed mostly in

of baptismal salvation.

North Africa.
tures, it

As

it

had no support from the Scripits

claimed tradition for

authority.

Origin, the

great champion of infant baptism in the third century,

supported infant baptism upon the authority of tradition. Keander remarks that " Origin, in whose
:

\ i' J.1 i-u system mfant baptism stood very high,

,

'

i.

-^^^'

Three First

Centuries, ^. 2QQ,

though not

in the

same point of view as

308

(Primitive Chu7'ches.

the North African Church, declares that

tradition,

it is

an apostolic
at

a declaration which can

gre^it vreight,

not, in that century,

be considered of anv
that time so

because

men were

much

inclined to

deduce the ordinances,

which they thought of great imjx)rtance, from the aposand, beside this, there were many partition walls between this and the apostolic age, which prevented a free
tles;

insight into that age."

It appears, then, that the first

it

advocates of ijifant baptism did not attempt to sustain

from the Word of God, but u];>on the authority of tradiXeander, the historian, admits that " It is certain tion.
:

that Christ did not ordain infant baptism."

"We can not prove that the apostles or; dained infant baptism " and, " The first passage which
*'

'"^'

appears expressly to point to this matter,

is

found in

Irensus."

It

is

thought that Irenseus alludes to infant

based upon the supposition

baptism because he s]>eaks of regeneration in connection

with infants.

This vilw

is

that IrensBUS uses the term regeneration as

vrith

synonymous
is

baptism when referring to infants.

It

admitted

that

some

writers, about this time, used the

term regenera;

tion, in

a figurative way, to denote baptism

but there

ii

no evidence that Irenseus used the term in the sense of baptism in the instance referred to. Irenseus does not mention infe.nt baptism at
all.

part of the second- century.

He flourished in the latter No writer in the second cenall.

tury has mentioned infant baptism at

" Tertullian

was inquired
-/'/
^^'9
'

of,

by a

rich lady

named
town

Q^i^^i^^^y ^^^^ lived at Pepuza, a

of Phiygia, whether infants might be baptized on condition they asked to

be

baptized,

and pio-

duced sponsors?"

This was not an inquir)' about the

(kize

c^

lr.'j,7d (^Tzizrr..

IQL.

in J

turv.

\'2^.

L=

It

.L

Art m*

beslnn.''

We ki

r5C retzorie: ziL-Ht

-^-?kli^BAe

310

Primitive Churches.

baptism, which was the offspring of baptismal salvation,

among: these

produced a harvest of error and superstitions. The first Mr. Robinson sa^'s, is infant communion. " The same Innocent very consistthat
:

^^151

^^^^ ^"^^^

^"*^>'

introduced infant communion

;this

grew out of infant baptism, as that did

out of original
sin.^'

The order

of the rise of inflmt baptism and

communion

is reported by Mr. Robinson as having been stated l)y Jerom Piescarski in the synod of Brest, in 1558, in Lithuania, as follows He then came to baptism, and affirmed
'''
:

that infant baptism

had no place
first

in the
it

Bohh Eccl
p. 0/ y.

Bes.,
g^^.^^^^^j.^

that in the two

;

centuries

was not mentioned that it rose in Africa in the third century, and was opposed by Tertullian; that the first canons to enjoin it were made at a council at Mela, that in Africa, in the year four hundred and eighteen
;

same time; that before this, people were put into the state of catechumens, and instructed in the Christian faith that then they were examined concerning their faith, and, on confessing it, were baptized by immersion; that in the fourth and fifth centuries, while the Papal power continued feeble, though ininfant
in at the
;

communion came

creasing, the children of believers, even those of bishops,

were not baptized

brose, not
till

till

they were adults, and some, as

Amit till

they had been elected and were going to

accept the ofiice of bishops; and that some deferred

In this quotation wo have an account of the gradual growth of infant baptism among those who finally assumed the title of Catholic Church.
they were just ready to
die.''

Infant baptism also gave rise to the superstitions and

blasphemous custom of having "god-fathers and god-

(Rise

of Infant (Baptisi^.

311

These god-fathers and god-mothers Avere to mothers.^^ answer the questions, promise to renounce the devil, etc., and make profession of faith, instead of the child. We have thus briefly sketched the rise of these fundamenta]
errors,

which, in after years, overflowed the world with a

mighty deluge of superstition and crime. Dr. Gill, in speaking of the rise of infant baptism and popery, uses the follow" The two are, in fact, indissolubly ing strong language
:

one and heresy Baptismal

united
their

in their origin, their

growth,
p. 42.

results.

The same motherE,egeneration which

^.o

gave birth

to

Popery, gave birth to infant baptism.

They

were engendered in the same dark

superstition.

womb

of ignorance and

They came

forth together.

They grew up

together.

Together they overspread the nations.

And

together shall they disap})ear before the light of Christ's

Gospel, and the brightness of his coming.'^

five years' investigation of the question

After thirty-

of infant baptism,

the learned J.

Newton Brown gave

:

utterance to the folis

i

lowing language

" Infant baptism

an

ft^
theory,

1 om befrmnmoj to end; corrupt

'

Baptist Martyrs, i^ ^ '

P- 13.

and corrupting in practice; born

in superstition, cradled in fear, nursed in ignorance, sup-

ported by fraud, and spread by force: doomed to die in

the light of historical in\'cstigation, and
to
its

very

memory
In

be loathed

in all future ages

it

by a disabused church.
it

the realms of despotism

in torreiiis: that

has shed the blood of martyrs

to

blood cries against

heaven; and a

long-sufPering

God
is

will yet be the terrible avenger.

The

book before us

a swift witness against

it.''

This con-

densed statement contains the truth, as found in history,

of the rise and fearful results of infant baptism.

Some

312
have plead
tiquity
;

Primitive Churches.
for infant
if

baptism on the ground of

its

its

an-

but

the age of a doctrine proved

correctness,

then

many

of the grossest superstitions of

Rome must

be

correct, for they are as ancient as infant baptism.

No

error has the right to plead antiquity.

doctrine with-

out the support of the Scriptures, must be given up.

(Baptist Succession.

313

CHAPTER
YEARS.
1.

XYI.

THE NOVATIAN PEKIOD ABOUT TWO HUNDKED

Peculiakities applied to the Novatiai-s. The GpvEat Apostacy.
I.

2.

Section
"

Peculiarities applied to the novathat

is

TIANS.

man

monition, reject;
such,
is

a heretic, after the first and second adknowing that he that is ^. q subverted, and sinneth, being con-.r,

...

'

'

demned of

himself."

God

requires entire separation on

the part of his people from all idolatrous worshipers,

whether they are known by heathen or Christian names. It may be well to observe that error has always sought fellowship with the truth or, in other words, the advocates of false doctrine desire fellowship and communion
;

with those

who embrace
is

the doctrine of Christ

for they

know
to

that this

the most effectual

way

to give currency

heresy.

But God

requires his faithful witnesses to

touch not, taste not, handle not, the commandments and

doctrines of men.

In following up the chain of succession, we have already

seen that there was a division in the church at

Rome,

led

by Novatian,
time 251

in favor of purity of

communion.

This was

not a division in the

^Ihere

Roman

Catholic Church, for at that

in the world.

was no such church

Those

churches and brethren throughout the empire which re-

314
maincd firm

The

j^ovat'iaii Period.

for the Bible doctrine of purity, in faith

and

worship, were called by their enemies Novatians.

already been seen, that they did not originate with
tiun,

It has

Nova-

but were the descendants of the primitive churches.

to

AVe now proceed

Baptist character,

examine more
e

fully into the Baptist

character of the people called Novatians.

w-

When we
;

say

mean Bible

character

for

we have

already proved that the Baptist peculiarities are the Bible

peculiarities
:

we

will, therefore, use the phrases Baptist

2)ecuHarities

and Bible pecuHarities synonymously. We now proceed to examine the Novatian peculiarities. First : They claimed no other founder and head except Jesus Christ. This is seen in the fact, as already shown, that they ^^Have some just claims to be Reliqious Enciic, i xi x i regarded as the pure, uncorrupted, and ^^
-^

'

apostolic church of Christ.'^

And

as they

claim to be the pure, uncorrupted, and apostolic church,

they must have claimed Jesus as their Founder and Head. Of their claims, Neander says " The No:

^ Centuries,
'
.

,"

p. 147.

vatianists, therefore, as they claimed to be

'

'

-^

the only unstained, pure church, called

themselves oi hatharoi the pure.^ ^' The charge that Novatian was the founder of the Novatian churches, is
^

without solid foundation.

It

is

well to observe, however,

that they have never been charged with claiming

tian either as founder or head.

Novaher-

It Avas their bitter foes

that
etics

made

this charge.

The Novatians were counted

by the corrupt party who began to call themselves Catholics. Mr. Waddington gives the following necessary
caution
'^
:

Charges, indeed, or insinua-

His. of the Church, rg

tions 01 the grossest nnpurities, are some-

,i

times thrown out by the orthodox writers

J^ovatians claimed no Founder but Jezus.

against

316

tlie early liorctics; but wo are bound to receive them with great caution, because the answers which may have been given to them are h)st, and because they are not generally justified by any authentic records which we And Mr. possess respecting the lives of those heretics/' " The history of Novallobinson says
:

tian

is lonji:,

and, like that of

all

others in

\\,,.

"

'
'

*'

his. condition,

beclouded with fables and

possess the Baptist pe-

slander."
culiarity of

The Novatian churches

acknowledging no founder and head except

Jesus Christ.

Second: The Novatians claimed no other standard of

and practice except the Bible. Very little need be have never been charged with appealing to any standard except the Scriptures. The Kovatians were also called Paterines, in after-times; and they are known to have claimed the Scriptures alone as
faith

said on this point, as they

their rule of conduct.

It

is,

therefore, taken for granted

unless proof to the contrary can be produced

that

the

Kovatians possessed the Baptist characteristic that the

Word

of

God

alone

is

the rule of faith and practice.

Third: The Novatians also held the Bible order of the commandments. Mr. Robinson states the Novatian
doctrine thus
1

"

The Novatians

you be a virtuous

I'll and will ac^^cede to our confederacy against sin, you may be admitted among us by baptism or if any Catholic has baptized you before, by re-baptism but, mark this: if you violate the contract by lapsing into idolatry or vice, we shall separate you from our community, and, do what you will, we shall never readmit you." This shows that the order observed by the Novatians was to

IT believer,

said, if
lioh.^H

Ecd. Jlis.,

'

31G

The JJovatian

(Period.

admit no one to baptism except believers

plaints of tlieir enemies, as well as their

and the comstatements

settle

own

concerning the strictness of their discipline,

point that they only observed the

the
those

communion with

who had been

Bob.^s Eccl. His.,
p. 125.

baptized and were in church-fellowship.

The
i

]N^ovatians
i

'^

look upon every society

'

^^

'

wnicli

reaclmitted
as

j.j.

heinous

oiienaers
title

i*?

j.

to

communion,
true Christian church."

unworthy of the
this

of a

From

we

discover that the

Novatians were so

strict in their

views of communion that

they did not regard an open-communion church, one that

admits heinous offenders, as worthy of the name of a Christian church.

In

fact,

at this time so far departed

no party of professed Christians had from the Bible order of the

commandments

as to place

communion

before baptism.

Dr. Wall, the learned Episcopalian, sums up the facts of history on this point, in the following words " Among
:

all
is.oj
nj.

the absurdities that ever were held,

g^,gj,

ap-

^^^^^

^^m,

maintained that,
as

p. 786.

son should partake ot the

fore he

that any perr^

communion\beof the

was baptized."

And

we have no account

Novatians, or any others, attempting to change the order

of repentance and faith,

we may,

therefore, justly con-

clude that the Novatians possessed the Baptist peculiarity of holding repentance, faith, baptism,

and

the Lord's

Supper.
liarity of

Fourth: The Novatians also possessed the Bible pecuburying in baptism only those who professed to
sin.

be dead to

We

tized only believers.

have already shown that they bapIt has been observed, no doubt, that

we have

not discussed the claims of the Donatists; not be-

cause they did not possess the characteristics of the Church

JVovatians (Biiry in baptism.

of Christ, but because
line of succession.
it

317

was unnecessary

in establishing the

They can be vindicated from

the mis-

representations of their enemies.

Speaking of the views

of the Donatists in Africa, and Novatians in Italy, Oyspin,

the French historian, says:

"That they
thino^s, viz:

hold too'Cther in the followins;

First, for purity of

^^"
,.

^^^^'^-iT

church-members, by
saints.

asserting that none ought to be admitted into churches

but such as were visibly true believers and real

cation of church-censures,

Second, for the purity of church-discipline, as the appli-

and keeping out such

sinned.

as

had

apostatized or scandalously

Third, they both

agreed in asserting the power, rights, and privileges of particular churches against antichristian encroachments of

presbyters, bishops
tized again those
doubt.^^

and synods. Fourth, that they bapwhose first baptism they had grounds to The point in this quotation to which we wish
is,

attention at present,

that the Novatians asserted 'Hhat

none ought

to be

admitted into churches but such as were

visibly true believers and. real saints.^'

as real saints before baptism

did not, therefore,

They were regarded and church membership they baptize unpardoned sinners in order to
;

make
those

saints of them.

tians held the Baptist doctrine of

Thus, we discover that the Novaburying in baptism only

or freed from, sin.

who were dead

to,

And

that, Avith

them, the action of baptism was a burial or immersion, is evident from the following facts: First, it is known to historians, that immersion was the general practice of all
professed Christians during this period
tions allowed
;

the only excep-

were in cases of sickness, where some anion gj

Dr. AYhitby remarked, that: "It
is. so

the corrupt churches received affusion on their sick beds.

On

this subject,

318

The JNovatian

(Period.

expressly declared here (Rom. vi: 4, and Col.

ii:

12), that

ffMs
Baptism,

we
of

are buried with Christ in baptism

by
^1^^

^^.

p. 109.

^^^.j^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^

argument
death,

to oblige us to conformity to his

^^^^

by dying

to sin, being

taken hence ; and this immer-

sion being religiously observed by all Christians for thir-

and approved by the church and the change any allowance from the author of the institution, or any license from any council of the church, being that which the Romanist still urgeth to justify his refusal of the cup to the laity." But we have more direct' evidence that the Novatians practiced immersion as baptism. Mr. Orchard, the historian, says of the Novations, that "all converts were S. Bapt. Review, i.ir> 7 ^i ^-./^ immersedj and all proselyted irom other churches were re-immersed,^^ Also, speaking of the church at Rome, Mr. Robinson says " Not one natural infant of any deteen centuries,
it
;

of

into sprinkling, even without

'

in

BobJs
joQ

Eccl. Res.,

scription appears in this cnurcii during the

first

...

xi

three centuries, and immersion Avas

the only method of baptizing."

Again, Mr. Robinson says:

in

"No

alteration

was made

Rob: s
004

Eccl. Res.,

of admin isterino^ baptism. .. y, i \i It was Clipping every-where, and nothing

the

mode

else."

their candidates, but

they re-immersed those

The Novatians not only immersed who had

been previously immersed by other parties; hence they were stigmatized as Anabaptists. On this point, Mr. Orchard says
:

"I

am satisfied

that the

Church

Ban

vol

^^ ^^^^'^^t, which has witnessed for him, has, II D 12 from the days of Novatian, been stigma-

tized with the

name

of Anabaptists.

This re-baptizing,

u ornelhis against JVovatian.

stpjidingas
it

310

does in ecclesiastical,

}X)litIcal

and commer-

cial histoiy, decides, in the

most satisfactory manner, our

consider
it

jealousy over the house of God, and our watchful care for
Scriptural communion.'^
lished

We
who
it

a point estab-

beyond successful controversy, that the Novatians

professed to be dead
to,

possessed the Baptist characteristic of holding the burial

with Christ, only of those

freed from, sin.

or

Before leaving this point, persed for baptism.

nelius as saying
^^
:

may
is

be proper to mention
said to have been as-

the fact, that Novatian himself

Of Novatian, Eusebius To him, indeed, the

of his faith w^as Sa-

quotes Cor"'

author and
tan,

instiofator

^^^

'

who

entered into and dw^elt in

him a
at the point

long time; who, aided by the exorcists, wdien attacked

w^ith

an obstinate

disease,

and being supposed

of death, was baptized by aspersion, in the bed on which he lay

if,

indeed,

it

be proper to say that one like him

did receive baptism.^'

1

Again, Cornelius, the enemy and rival of Xovatian, says of him " This illus,
:

trious character

abandoning the Church

-.

^,

r.

^b^,

P- 266.

oi

God,

in wdiich,

when he

w^as converted,

he was lionored

with the presbytery, and that by the favor of the bishop

placing his hands upon him (ordaining him) to the order of

it,

and as all the clergy and many of the laity resisted it was not lawful that one baptized in his sick bed by aspersion, as he was, should be promoted to any order of the
bishop,
since

clergy, the bishop requested that

to ordain only this one."
this

it

should be granted him

tw^o points in

There are evidently

is

charge of Cornelius against the claims of Novatian.

First:

The

validity of his baptism

questioned, on the

ground of

his being an improper subject; for Cornelius

320
says

The jWovatian
:

(t^eriod.

"

If,

indeed,

it

be proper to say that one

like

him

did receive baptism/^

Cornelius had declared that the

faith of Novatian liad been instigated by Satan, and that

he was possessed with the Devil,

liim
;

who had

entered into

and that he received baptism

in bed, through fear

of death.

AVithout referring to the truth or falsehood of

is

these charges, at the present, a very important point

brought out by them

party, in
tliis

viz

that even in the most corrupt

period,

it

was considered necessary that one

to render his

should be a good

man

baptism valid.

Sec-

ond: That aspersion was considered, at most, imperfect

baptism
;

for Cornelius said

" It was not lawful that one

baptized in his sick bed by aspersion, as he was, should

be promoted to any order of the clergy. ^^

This was de-

signed to be the statement of a general law or custom,

that

no one,

it

matters not what his spiritual condition,

who

was baptized
office

in his sick bed by aspersion,

was

eligible to the

of the ministry. This view is sustained from the fact that the bishop that ordained Novatian pleaded "that it

should be granted him to ordain only this

one,'^
:

who had

been aspersed in his sick bed.

And more

If there had

been no design to cast suspicion on the character of Novatian's baptism on account of the " mode,'^ why did Cornelius

repeatedly state that

appears, that in

was "by aspersion ?^^ It the former of the two quotations from
it

Cornelius, the charge against the validity of Novatian's

baptism

is

mainly based on his depraved character; but,

in the latter, the point is

is

made prominent,

that aspersion

imperfect baptism, and not sufficient for a candidate foi

office. Elder Geo. Yarden, in his valuable found in the Baptist Monthly for 1867, shows

the ministerial
criticism,

clearly that the writers

who have based

the objection of

Cyprian on jNovaiian's

(Baptis'M.

321

Cornelius to the validity of Novatian's baptism mainly on

the ground of the action being aspersion^ have fallen into
error. Elder Varden remarks ^' Cor-i-r T Ti e viuty AT nenus could not sumciently iNova-

an

i.1

Baptist Monthly. ''^

^.^

tian.

Hence

tliere

can be no doubt that

ton toiouton (such a one) points with emphasis to the char-

and disposition of Novatian, whose very preteusions were all the work of the Devil. This wretch, if, fearing he was going to die; was sprinkled on his bed
acter
to religion

indeed,

it
it.

is

fit

to say that

such a one

(so

depraved) re-

ceived

The

validity, therefore, to

which Cornelius, in
refers, arises

consequence of his estimate of Novatian,

from the character of

Whatever

else

man, not his mode of baptism. there may be to show that his baptism was
the

regarded as invalid in consequence of the mode, this subjunctive sentence of Cornelius does not.'^
But, does history record that aspersion was considered
Scriptural and proper baptism in this period?

By

no

means.
,1
,

Elder Varden places

n

this subject in its proper fact

light, in the following:

"The main

that perfusion

/-i.

(it

was more xi than sprinkan un-

-1

Baptist Monthlij, ^' ^.^

ling) was, at that time, held to be

usual and improper baptism, allowed only in extreme cases,

is

substantiated Avithout employing these doubtful or erro-

neous arguments." * * * "It

may

not be prudent to leave

First, then,

this subject without indicating the true proof.

respecting the case of Novatian, Cyprian writes. Epistle

69: ^In two respects Xovatian seemed censurable: in the

first

place,

he had caused a schism in respect to the lapsed

and

in the second place, he had been sprinkled on his bed^ BUT HAD NOT BEEN BAPTIZED. There is Certainly no

ambiguity here.

There existed a very prevalent impres-

322

The JNovatian

(Period.

was an imperfect baptism, and, therefore, did not secure the blessings promised to immersion/ Cyprian thus meets this state of things, Epistle 76 If any one supposes that they obtain nothing because the waters of salvation have been only poured on them, but are destitute (of God's grace), let them not
sion that sprinkling, or rather pouring,
:

be deceived, but,
baptized^
It
;

if

they regain their health,

lei

them be
Is not

is

clear that

by baptizentur, Cyprian means

immersion

it

stands in contrast to perfusi sunt.

this passage proof that,

though perfusion was, in the midit

dle of the third century, allowed,

Meeting the same remarks ^ In the sacraments of salvation, when necessity compels and God grants indulgence, the divine eompends confer the whole (that immersion does) on those that believe.' He means, that though the rite be abridged
informal?
issue,
epistle,
:

was unsatisfactory and Cyprian, in the same

from immersion
latter

to perfusion, yet, in cases of necessity, the

mode

will secure the divine blessing

Perfusion

is

on the recipient. an abridgment of the divine command, and

his-

was vindicated only in cases of necessity J^ The above testimony of Cyprian is but the voice of

tory in regard to the popular party which, in later times,

changed both the action and subjects of baptism, and

produced that monstrous system called Popery.
It can

not be found in history that a single case of sprinkling,

pouring, aspersion, or perfusion, for baptism, has ever oc-

curred among the Novatians, unless Novatian himself was

one.

And

it

will be

his " baptism," unless he

remembered that Novatian received was re-baptized, in the lax party

cipline.

from which he separated on the account of their loose disIn regard to the rise of aspersion, Elder Varden

remarks;

"We

shall quote only one Pedobaptist authoi

Cyprian for Affusion,

to

323

evince this.

Ailing says:
^vlio

^Aspersion
a

is

first

men-

tioned by Cyprian,

died as

martyr, A. D. 259.

Those who could not with safety be immersed, in consequence of sickness, had water poured over them; but it was doubted whether such a baptism was lawful. But Cyprian took in hand to defend it in such a way, however, as not to censure those who opposed it; yet even he did not maintain that it could be employed promiscuously with immersion in cases of health.^ And in another place Alting tells us that * Cyprian, arguing for aspersion, employed neither apostolic testimony nor examjjle.' And we may add, that of all the laws which, during centuries, were

made concerning baptism, no one made sprinkling and

immersion
indifferent, till the
so.

Council of Ravenna, A. D.
it is

1311, declared them

Hence

that the scholastic

theologians, while they argue for pouring

and sprinkling,

declare immersion the safest modeJ^

From
that the

this statement of the facts of history in regard to

etc., for

the rise of aspersion,

first

baptism,

it is

clearly

shown

advocates of this departure from the divine

pattern, did not plead the examj)le of the apostles, or the

Scriptures, to justify their course.

cases of necessity,

Aspersion was plead in

in

where the subject was

danger of death.

which produced the change from immersion to perfusion, pourIt was, therefore, the idea of baptismal salvation
ing,

and

finally, to sprinkling, Avhich w^as established

by

law, at Ravenna, in thirteen hundred

and
:

eleven.

But, to return to the case of Novatian

there

is

no

reli-

ance to be placed in the charges of Cornelius against Novatian, because it is known that he accused him with many
things of which he was not guilty.
at

Novatian was the

first

Rome

to

make

a successful stand against the corruptiona

324

TJie J<!ovaiian (Period.

advocated by the popular party of which Cornelius was

the head.
Cornelius, in his malice, tried to invalidate the
character, religion, baptism,

his letters, to Fabius, bishop of Antioch,

and ministry, of Novatian. In he called Novatian

a "malicious beast ^^; and he accuses him of "villainy,^'

"fraud and treachery ^' ; that Satan instigated "his faith ^^ and entered into him, "and dwelt a long time.'^ Cornelius

accused Novatian of drunkenness and blasphemy,

with

many

other dreadful crimes.

But

as all those charges

is

concerning his morality are knoAvn to be utterly false,

there no

room

to

doubt the testimony of Cornelius concern?

ing the aspersion of Novatian

Must we take

the state-

ments of a known fabricator of falsehoods f But, granting that it is true that Novatian had no baptism at all, this
has nothing to do with the succession of those

who were community, neither received their baptism nor origin from Novatian. The want of baptism in Novatian can no more affect the succession of the Novatians than the " alien ^^ immersion
nicknamed Novatians;
for they, as a religious

of a Baptist preacher can affect the Baptist succession.

The Novatians did not

practice aspersion at

all.

They

were so strict in regard to the purity of baptism that they would not receive the immersions performed by the popular
party.

They did not regard the corrupt churches

as

churches of Christ, and, therefore, they considered their

immersions as invalid.
Fifth
:

And

again,

it is

evident that the Novatians pos-

sessed the Baptist peculiarity of holding equality in privilege in the transaction of

church business.

This has been

a cherished point of doctrine with the Baptists in all ages.

The usurpation
in

of lordship over the churches, by ministers

the corrupt party, developed itself gradually in the

Equality
third century.

among

the Movatians.

325

Mr. Milman,

in his history of Christi-

anity, speaking of this period, says:

"But

each church
of '

was

a separate and independent com1-4.-1 ikikikn^i X? ^ 1 he level oi munity. ^ ecclesiastical

still
j-f"

MilmarCs His.
^
.

;;

Christ., p. 446.

..^

or Episcopal dignity gradually broke up;

some bishops emerged into a higher rank the single community over which the bishop originally presided, grew into the aggregation of several communities, and founded
;

a diocese; the Metropolitan rose above the ordinary bishop,

the patriarch assumed a rank above the Metropolitan,
at length, in the regularly
till

graduated

scale, the

primacy of

Rome was
points;

asserted,

and submitted

to

by the humble and

obsequious West.^^
first,

This quotation throws light upon two

that in this period each church was still a and independent community; and, second, that it was the Catholic party which gradually broke up the level of ecclesiastical dignity, and finally culminated into what is known as the primacy of Rome. There is no evidence that the [N^ovatians deviated from this principle of equality. It was so fully developed, that in the former
separate

period religious equality prevailed

among

the churches;

and

it

being generally admitted that the same purity of

discipline prevailed

among

the Novatians, therefore

we

are safe in the conclusion that they maintained the

same

doctrine of equality in church affairs.

Sixth: There will be no difficulty whatever in settling

the point, that the Novatian churches were strict in their

communion.
strict in their

In

fact, this

was the general complaint of

were unreasonably
^^*
^^
*

their enemies against them, that they

terms of communion.

Mos^'^'
:

heim remarks of the Novatians, that

" This sect can not be charged with having

p. 74.

326

The

J<lovatian (c'eriod.

corrupted the doctrine of Christianity by their opinions

by the unreasonable severity of their gave occasion to the most deplorable divisions, and made an unhappy schism in the church.'^ The Novatians were so strict in their discipline that they Avould not admit, under any circumstances, to their comtheir crime was, that,
discipline, they

munion those of
to their

their

idolatry, in times of persecution.

own members who relapsed into They would not receive

parties

communion immersed persons from other

^^

without

re-baptism ^^;

and consequently they obtained

from their enemies the odious name of Anabaptists.

this
S.

On
says

point,

Mr.

Orchard

truly

Bapt

Review,

a^yi,^,,^

^^^^^^^ ig

be no open communion. ^^
^'re-baptized;
^^

Anabaptism there can The Novatians

overwhelming, that the

therefore, they were strict in their terms of

historic proof is

communion.

The

Novatians possessed the Baptist peculiarity of restricted

communion.
Lastly, there
is

no

difficulty in

showing that the No-

vatians possessed the peculiarity of being persecuted and

every -where sjooken against.

cutions of the Novatians,

On

the subject of the perse-

Mr. Orchard says: "Innocent

letters to
>

wrote
Orch. Bapt. His., ' ^ ^
,

many
.\

various bishops, con

taming the rules

r jiot discipline

m his church,

plainly with the intention of establishing

uniformity.

This uniformity could not be imposed on the

Noval ianists, nor would they receive his views on children's baptism and communion they, consequently, became the object of his aversion. Another means of awakening the Catholic prelates' anger, w^as re-baptizing, * * ^
;

In the fourth Lateran council, canons were made to banish them as heretics, and these canons were supported by an

J^ovatians (Persecuted.
edict, in

327

and and the Ac7'c-baptizers, slioiild be both punished with death. cordingly, Albanus, a zealous minister, with others, was
413, issued by the emperors Theodosius
Ilonorious, declaring that all persons ?'-baptized,
])nnished with death, for re-baptizing/^
It should be ob-

served that the persecutions during the former period were

by the pagans but the persecutions of the Novatians were by proi'cssed Christians. No sooner was the adulterous union formed between church and state, by Constantine, than persecution began to be waged in the name of ChrisIn the fourth century the Novatians were persetianity. cuted under the Arian emperor, Valcns. It made no difference whether the orthodox Catholics, or Arians, had the
;

ascendency
tians.

they both alike persecuted the hated NovaMr. Jones, the historian, says: "But the conduct of Valcns was not regulated by the strict
p 'i. r J.* rules 01 equity; lor in his persecutions he
1

Jones'

Ch. His.. '

included the Novatians, whose churches he

commanded

to be shut up,

and

their pastors banished,

although, so far as I can perceive, they took no part whatever in the squabbles that existed between the contending
factions.'^ Though the Novatians were bitterly persecuted by all parties who possessed the power, yet, when they were tolerated, they used their influence to relieve those who had persecuted them. They never persecuted others. The council of Nice convened in the year 325, in order to settle the Arian controversy. The Emperor Constantine,

who

called this council, decided that

for

its

decrees were in-

fallible;

he said:

"What

they had
^'

decreed was the will of God, and that the

^^ff'p.

^^''

137.

agreement of so great a number of such

bishops was by inspiration of the

Holy Ghost."

So Con-

328

The

J\^ ovation

(Period.

stantinc banished,
vatians,

and persecuted in various ways, the Nosubmit to the decrees of

all historians

and

others, for refusing to

the council of Xice.

It

is

admitted by

that

the Xovatians were peculiarly hated, persecuted, and every-

where spoken against, because of their

therefore, the Novatians possessed, in

faith

and practice;

an eminent degree,

that characteristic which points out the Baptists as perse-

cuted and every-where spoken against.

have now seen that the Baptist peculiarities were by the !N^ovatians, and as these are Bible peculiarities, we therefore conclude, that the Novatians form a part of the succession of Scriptural churches against which
possessed

We

the gates of hell have never prevailed.

The Xovatians
is

possessed those j^eculiar marks, in all that

essential to

church organization, which would now identify them with

the Baptists.

The Donatists of Africa

possessed the same

this account,

peculiarities with the Tsovatians, and,

on

may

be called the Kovatians of Africa.

Baptist character
See

And

in regard to the

of these people,
t

Osiander,
j.-

a
:

of the sixteenth century, affirms

writer " That

D^ Anvers on
29Q
o^^^'

\ \ ^ modern Anabaptists

w^ere

xi

the same
Fuller, in

with the Donatists of old.

Anabaptists are the Donatists, new dipt.
the Donatists
ions (Lib. 5,

And

his Ecclesiastical History (1. 5, p. 229), saith, that the

Bullinger saith,

and the Anabaptists held the same opin216, 222,) of baptism.^'

in

fol.

Other authorities might be introduced

unnecessary.
It
is

confirmation
it is

cf the Baptist character of the Novatians, but

wholly

absolutely impossible for any other

denomination in Christendom to claim, with any show of

truth, identity with the Novatians, either in doctrine or
history.

The Novatian

period brings us

down

to the

TJie Great Apostasy.

century, four hundred

329

middle of the

fifth

and

fifty

years

after the birth of Christ.

Section

II.

The geeat

apostasy. means come a falling

:

" Let no

man

deceive you by any

for that

day

shall not come, except there

9.04.'

away
above

first,

and that man of

;

sin

be revealed,
exalteth himself
is

the son of perdition

all

who opposeth and

God, or that

that

is

called

worshiped

so

that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing

himself that he

is

God.^^

foregoing passage of Scripture, that the falling

reference to the apostasy

Some have supposed, from the away had or falling away of the Church of

come to the conclusion that the Church of Rome was once the true Church of Christ This doctrine, which teaches that the gates of hell have prevailed against the Church of Christ, has opened the
Christ, and, therefore, they

flood-gate for the introduction of a host of errors.

When

we take

the position that the

kingdom of Jesus Christ has

skeptics, or infidels, concern-

been subverted, and become the kingdom of Antichrist,

we

are compelled to

become

ing the promises of Jesus Christ for the perpetuity of his

and if his church has apostatized, and become kingdom of the Devil, then Jesus Christ was a false prophet, and, therefore, an impostor. But we must believe that the heavens would sooner pass away, and the pilkirs
church
;

the

of the earth be removed, than that one jot or tittle of tbo words of Christ should fail. This prediction .f the apostle concernim;- the falling away, had no reference whatever to the falling away of the true church or kingdom of Jesus Christ ; it only had reference to the falling away

330

The Jlovatian

(Period.

of individual congregations and persons from the king-

dom
of

of Christ. "

This

is

in keeping with the testimony

John, where

he says, concerning "Antichrists/^ that:

of us

They went out from us, but they were not for if they had been of us, they would
;
:

no doubt have continued with us but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they w^ere not all of us." These Antichrists went out; but if the church had apostaIt has tized, then there would have been no going out.
ever been the policy of Satan, in attempting to thwart the
designs of Heaven, to institute a counterfeit to the various
points of divine worship.

When

Jesus Christ ordained

;

true apostles, the Devil ordained false apostles

when Jesus

ordained true ministers, the Devil ordained his ministers,

who transformed themselves into ministers of righteouswhen Jesus Christ established his ordinances, Satan when Jesus Christ also established counterfeit ordinances
ness
;
;

established his church, Satan proceeded to establish counterfeit churches.

And by

this satanic policy of counter-

feiting, the

Devil has done more to impede the cause of

order the better to open the

Christ than by any other means which he has ever in-

vented.

And in

way for every

new

invention in the

way of church

organization which he

may

w^ish to establish,

he has induced the world to believe

by Christ has apostatized. have hundreds of so-called churches in the world, claiming to be either the church or branches of the
that the church established

And now we

Church of

Christ.

Old papal Rome stands

forth at the

head of the list in all her pontifical pride, and claims to be the mother and mistress of all other churches; and around her are gathered her brood of mystic daughters, who are trying to pluck the laurels from the brow of their

(korue net to be ^Reformed.

331

mother; and, at the same time, other newly-hatched ecclesiastical fledglings are

attempting to soar into the heavens

to divide
rivals.

dignity and honors with their

more ancient
intellectual

Every few years gives birth

to

some mighty

giant whose powers are brought into requisition in at-

tempting to purify some of the polluted streams of Popery,

and thereby prepare a

tions, or

suitable river of salvation.

They

are trying to reform, either the old mother of abomina-

some one of her polluted daughters, in order to If they were not wholly skeptical in regard to the perpetuity of the kingdom of Christ, they would not dare to attempt the reformation of any part of Antichrist. The reformers of false churches have undertaken a work to which God has not called them. They have run without being sent. They might just as
prepare a bride for Jesus Christ.
well attempt to purify the waters of the
folly

Dead

Sea.

The

and presumption of such men have certainly reached the superlative degree, from the fact that they ought to know that if the kingdom that Christ set up has apostatized and come to nothing, certainly their reformations will They have overlooked the prophetic decfare no better. the larations concerning the fate of mystic Babylon Church of Home for, instead of being reformed, she is doomed by the Word of God to utter destruction. Her body is to be burned with fire, and her overthroAv is to be as when a mighty mill-stone is cast with violence into

the sea.

The Church
been,
is

of Kome, as an organization, has never

not now, and never will be a church of Christ.

Sl\e did not originate

with the Church of Christ.

It
is

She

is

of her father, the Devil.

very important, however,

332

TJie J^ovatiaii (Period.

with the Protestant churches, to show that the Romish

Church

either has been, or is

;

now, the true Church of

Christ visible

otherwise all their

own

claims to be true

churches would be null and void, as emanating from the

corru pt fountain of a false church.
the utter fallacy
Baptists not Pro-,/>!testants, pp. 16, 1 /
^
, ,
.

Mr. J. L. AValler shows of the claims to have reformed the Church of Rome, as follows " AVe take the Ren r j lormers at their word; and trom this
:
i.

j.\

'

j.i

favorite passage of theirs, w^e insist that

Romanish Church was never the Church of Christ visible, and was never to be reformed. The first appearance this church makes in prophetic vision, she bears the name of, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother .of Harlots and abominations of the earth.^ She reels, intoxicated with the blood of the saints. She has no prior history. The prophet saw her beginning the name she then bore he contemplated her career, and beheld her overthrow. She was the same miserable, cruel, unholy, drunken ecclesiastical baAvd, from first to last. There is no intimation to justify the conclusion that the bride, the Lamb's wife,^ ever degenerated into the 'whore of Babylon,^ making all nations drunk with the wine of her fornication and much
the
'

'

anything in this chapter to favor the conclusion that 'Babylon the Great,' by a mere cliange of the exteless is there

rior a])pearances,

is

to be transformed into the

'

New Jeruto see her

salem.'

On

the contrary,

John was permitted

'

destruction, like a great mill-stone cast into the sea,

to hear the shouts of glad angels, saying
:

and Babylon the

fallen, and is become the habitations of and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.' Does this teach reformation? Is this the purgation which is to transmute the
is fixllcn, is

Great

Devils,

The Great Apostasy.

Romish Churcli

333

into apostolic purity ? In short, reformanowhere inculcated in the Scriptures. It is a work to which God has called no man or set of men. Those Avho engage in it, run without being sent and arc laboring for an end which, if attained, would discredit the predictions of the prophets, and set at naught many tion is
;

of the most positive declarations of the Almighty.''

Instead of vainly attempting to reform this monstrous

system of iniquity, God has commanded all his saints to " Come out of her, my people, that ye be not
partakers of her sins, xind that ye receive

not of her plagues."

It

was found,

in the former period, their appearance.

that several fundamental errors

made

These

errors,

hierarchy,

etc.,

baptismal paved the way

salvation, infant baptism, the

for the overt act of apos-

tasy which occurred in the middle of the third century.

After every means had foiled to reclaim the party churches and individuals

which
step

had already embraced

the forementioned heresies, in the year 251, the faithful

churches and brethren declared non-fellowship with the

corrupt party.

They had,

by

step,

departed from the

of them had

simplicity of Bible worship,

until

many

passed the boundary of the kingdom of Christ.

They

from the fellowship of the true churches, which remained steadfast in the support of
the ordinances as they were delivered.

had

apostatized, or gone out

This

is

the begin-

ning of that great apostasy which finally assumed the huge

pr/^portions of Antichrist.
falling

And

after the apostasy,

or

away, had -occurred, in the year 251, the corrupt interest made fearful strides toward that fearful darkness and idolatry which characterized Rome through the dark
ages.

It

is

usually asserted by historians, that the union

334

The

JSlovatian (Period.

of church and state occurred in the year 312, under the

rect.

Emperor Constantine. This statement is not strictly corThe union effected by Constantine, in the year 312,
was betNveen tlie corrupt church and the state, or empire. true Church of Christ has never entered into an
After the con-

The

adulterous union with the civil power.

solidation of

what is usually called the church with the civil dominion, under Constantine as the head of both church and state, the progress of corruption was frightful. On this point Mr. Dowling says '^ Soon after Constan:

tine professed conversion to Christianity,

DowUnc/s Jlis. of ^ i ^ x i xi he undertook p-overnment to remodel the oi Iiomanmi\ p. 31. of the church, so as to make it conform as
i

x.

-r,

much

as possible to the

government of the
etc.,

state.

Hence

the origin of the dignities of patriarchs, exarchs, archbishops, canons, prebendaries,

intended by the
offices

Emand
this

peror to correspond with the different secular

dignities connected with the civil administration of the empire.^'

The same
p. 31.
. .

writer farther remarks

'

'^

From

Ilis.

Bom.,

domtime onward, the proo;ress of priestly ^ ^ ^ ^ , ^ mation and tyranny was lar more rapid
.

than in any previous age.

The

lofty title of Patriarch W'as

assumed by the bishops of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, and also of Constantinople, after the removal of the seat of empire to that city
to
:

claiming, according

Bingham
all

(Antiquities, B. II, ch. 17), ^the right to or-

dain

the metropolitans of their

own
them

diocese; to call dio;

cesan synods, and to preside over

to receive appeals

from metropolitan and provincial synods; to censure metropolitans and their suffragan bishops; to pronounce absolutions upon great criminals, and to be absolute and
independent, one of an other.^
'^

And

thus

we might

con-

The

Grccit ^poztdzy.

tinue to cite authorities to

of that false
after the

show the increasing corruption church which originated from the apostasy,
It
is

middle of the third century.

the history of the

the history of

this corrupt antichristian apostasy

which
It
is

is

given to the

world as

church

altogether a misChrist, in

nomer
sense:
it

to call the apostasy the

it is

Church of

any

the synagogue of Satan.

As an

organization,

had

its

origin in the third century, out of the apostasy

from the truth.

We will

note the progress of this mystery

It
is

of iniquity in the next period.

evident from the

is

Word

of God, and church history, that the true Church

not to be found enveloped in the apostasy with Antichrist;

we must,
where

therefore, look for the

kingdom of Christ some-

else.

33G

The Wakiensean

(Period.

CHAPTEE XYIL
THE WALDENSEAN PEEIOD 1260 YEAES.
1.

The Prophetic History of the CnrECH Durixg

this

2.
3.

Period. The Peculiarities applied to the Waldenses. False Churches which arose During this Period.
I. The prophetic histoey of the chupch DURING this period.

Section

"And
_

to the
.

woman

Avere given

two wings of a great

. .

eao-le,

that she mi^ht fly into the wiklerness,

Rev. 12: 14.

where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." I do not claim that the true churches are known in history by the name Waldenses during the entire period of twelve hundred and sixty years; but they were called Waldenses the most of this time and it is generally admitted that the churches which became known as Waldenses
into her place,
;

in the eleventh century, existed previously in the valleys

of the Alps, with the same leading characteristics; and

that the same class of people existed in the valleys, as the true witnesses of Christ, during the twelve hundred
sixty years.

and

I will, therefore, take the privilege, as se\-

eral historians

have done, of applying the term YValdenses

to the entire prophetic period of the preservation of the

woman

in the wilderness, or during the sackcloth testimony

of the Church.

Nearly

all historians are

agreed that the true church,

Flight of the

Woman

into the Wilderness.

337

ness after the great apostasy,

for a time,
;

under the symbol of a woman, was driven into the wilderwhere she was "nourished

and times, and half a time, from the face of the and it is understood that a time is one year, times two years, and a half time, one half of a year so that the time, times, and half time, are three and a half prophetic years; and as three and a half years, in the Scripture computation of time, make twelve hundred and sixty days, and in prophecy a day stands for a year, therefore, we have the period of twelve hundred and sixty years as the And that we are not wilderness period of the Church. mistaken in the period, is shown from the following " And the woman fled into the Avilderness, where ^ Rev. 12: 6. she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three
serpent ^^
;

score days."

Thus, we have the twelve hundred and sixty days, a

day

for a year, as the explanation of the time, times,

half a time.
history,
it is

and In entering upon this obscure period of church very important that we give heed to the pro-

phetic

word

as a light that shineth in a

dark

place.

Some

have very erroneously supposed that the wilderness period of the church was a time in which the church was in a state of apostasy, and that the flight into the wilderness
referred to the apostasy or corruption of the church.

But

the very opposite

is

true

the flight into the wilderness was

;

not an apostasy or corruption of the church

but

it

was the

retirement of the church before the apostate and corrupt power. It should be observed, that the woman fled to " a
place prepared of God," and Avas there preserved " from

the face of the serpent"; but this would not have been the
case

had she gone

into pollution in the foul embraces of

e338

The Waldensean
I

(Period.

the dragon ix)wer.

am

fully satisfied that the

Walden-

soan period of the church, during her retirement in the

wilderness,
is

the purest part of her history since the

apostolic age.
to conformity

with the world.

In the wilderness she had less inducements 8he was persecuted by the
in sackcloth

dragon while she prophesied

derness period.

during this wilor church,

When

it

is said,

the

woman,

iied into the wiklerness, the

term wilderness in this proph-

ecy indicates more than the locality in a Avaste and desert

country.
It also refers, doubtless, to the darkness, ob-

scurity, or barrenness, of the relentless persecution

dark ages.

Owing

to the

waged against the church by the

dragon, very few materials for church history, except from

enemies, have been preserved. I understand that the flight

of the

woman

into the wiklerness has reference to the re-

tirement of the main body of the Novatians from Italy

about the beginning of the

sight

fifth

century; and also to the

retirement of the church into obscurity, so as to be lost

of,

as the true church,

historians.

by the world and the great

mass of

Any

church whose history has not

fled into the wilder-

been involved in obscurity and doubt, can lay no claims

whatever to be the true church which

ness.

The

fact that the

is

world did not recognize the claims

of the AValdenses,

not the witnesses for Christ.

the apostles,
Ci'pt

no evidence whatever that they were In the time of Christ and, the entire world, both .Jew and Gentile, ex-

a few, repudiated the claims of the

kingdom of Jesus
rejects

Christ.

And

even at the present time the world

with contempt the claims of the true church.

Historians differ somewhat in regard to the precise time when the church made her flight into the wilderness. Some
think
it

occurred in

tlie

time of Constantine the great,

J^ovatians ^Retire into the Valleys.

about
tlic

339

year 325

others tliink
it

it

took place about the year

It
i.s

270, and some think

occurred at an earlier date.

admitted that there were settlements of true Chrietians

i'ornied in the valleys

of the Alps in very early times, prob-

ably in the apostolic age; and others emigrated, from time

to time, in these

under the various persecutions, and took shelter mountain retreats; but from all the light which

I can gather, I

am

satisfied that the true date of the llight

of the
413,

was not before the year when banishment and death was decreed against the
into the wilderness
^^

woman

Novatians on account of their

rc-haptizing^^ those
is

who
Mr.
'

came from

the Catholics.

This view

sustained by

Orchard, as follows: "In the fourth Latcran council, canons were

made

to banish

,.

'

them

(the Novatians) as heretics,

and these
all

canons were sup[)ortcd by an edict, in 413, issued by the

emperors Theodosius and llonorious, declaring that

punished with death.
baptizing.

persons /^-baptized, and the rc-baptizers, should be both

minister, with others,

Accordingly, Albanus, a zealous were punished with death, for reThe edict was probably obtained by the inliu-

encc of Augustine,

he bear with any

Catholic creed
vatianists

who could endure no rival, nor would who questioned the virtue of his rites,

or the sanctity of his brethren, or the soundness of the

and these points being disjiutcMl by the Noand Donatists, two powerful and extensive bodies of dissidents in Italy and Africa, they were cons(Mpicntly made to feel the weight of his influence. Tliesc combined modes of oppiwssion led th<^ faithful to abandon tlu citi(\s, and seek retreats in the country, which i\\cy did, particularly in the valUws of Piedmont, the inhabitants of which began to be called Waldcnses." About this time a s(M*ies
;

340

The Waldensean

(Period.

of persecutions were inaugurated against the Novatians in

and they soon retired in vast numbers into the valPiedmont and other places of security; so, we may safely conclude that the woman, the church, was in the wilderness as early as four hundred and ticenty-five or six. These persecutions are stated as follows: "In 412 the Baptists were banished as heretics. In 413 /c p ji^j-jQceut sent letters of advice to various
Italy,

leys of

.,

p. 61; note.

ministers.
for re-baptizing,
cil at

were sentenced to death.

In the same year, the Baptists, In 416 a coun-

Mela accursed all those who denied forgiveness to accompany infant baptism, and in 418 a council at Carthage enforced the same curse.'^ And not long after the
inauguration of this dreadful series of persecutions against
the Novatians, says Mr. Orchard, "These holy people
retired

now

from public notice."

safely

commence the AYaldensean period as and twenty-six. It is true, that all the Novatians had not departed from Italy; but the main body of these people had retired to the valleys of the Alps and other places of retreat. It must be remembered that a remnant of these people still remained and a succession of them continued, for centuin Italy ries, under the name Paterines. As already intimated,
early as the year four hundred
;

We may

the prominent facts concerning the flight of the church,

are brought to view in the twelfth chapter of Pevelations,

by means of the woman

reader
is

as a

symbol of the church.

The
It
is

requested to pause and read that chapter.

said, in verse seventh:

"And

there

was war

against the dragon

gels,

Michael and his angels fought and the dragon fought and his anand prevailed not; neither was their place found
in heaven:
;

J^ovatians (Retire into the Valleys.

any more
in heaven.

3-11

And
:

the great dragon was cast out,

that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan,

which dc-

ceiveth the whole world

he was cast out into the earth,

and his angels were cast out with him." This "war in heaven" probably has reference to the conflict between Michael" Jesus Christ at the head of his angels, the true ministers, on one hand, and the Devil as the head of

"^^

his angels, false ministers, on the other.

The

Devil, at the

head of the dragon power, hoped to subvert the kingdom of Jesus Christ, by the change of the form of church
government, the change of the ordinances, and the establishment of his " angels," or ministers over the churches.

On

the other hand, Jesus, as the head of his church, led

on his " angels," true ministers, to the terrible conflict with the dragon and his angels. The term heaven, here, can not mean the place of rest; but it may, in this place, refer to the elevated position which the church occupies This war was in the religious as the light of the world.
elements, or religious heaven occupied by the church.

am

of opinion that this

"war"

points out the struggle be-

tween the true and false ministers about the time of the
beginning of the Novatian period.
total

And

the casting out

of the "Devil and his angels" very likely refers to the

and

final rejection of the corrupt

and popular party,

with

all their

ordinances and church claims, by those

who
in

were called Novatians.

These false ministers were

nominal fellowship with the true ministers till the division, called the Novatian rupture, but then they were " cast out " from this fellowship by the true churches.
Their being cast out into
the earth,

may have

ailusion to

the total abandonment, on the part of those that followed

the dragon, of all correct principles of church organiza-

842

TJie

Waldciisean (Period.

tion,

tainly this union of church

idolatries has

and the union of the corrupt church and state. Cerand state with all the Romish
been a "
I

Wo

to the inhabitants of the earth

and the

sea."

am

driven to these conclusions^ from the

fact that the "war in heaven" and the casting out of the dragon comes before the flight of the woman. And the drawing down of " the third part of the stars of heaven " by the tail of the dragon, doubtless has reference to the departure of the third part of the ministry which followed the dragon when he was cast down to the earth. We now proceed to sum up the prophetic proofs which show that the true church was preserved during the

wilderness period of her history.

already seen, she was fed in the wilderness hundred and sixty years, from the face of the dragon. But if the church apostatized, or became
First:
for twelve

As

extinct,

this
is

Scripture could not be true;

but as this

jirophecy

true, therefore the succession or perpetuity of

is

the church, through this dark period,

established be-

yond the

possibility of a doubt.
:

Second: The Lord said by the angel

r)
.

"And

I will give

power unto

and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and three

witnesses,

my two

score days clothed in sackcloth."

to the testimony borne

If these w^itnesses refer

in the wilderness,

by the church

and

this is generally believed, then the

church remained

firm in her prophesying or teaching through the entire

period of her stay in the wilderness.

Third: It

is

affirmed by Daniel the prophet, that:

''

"In

^ Ban.

^ 2:

^^ 44.

the days of these kinoes ^ shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, wdiich shall never
;

be destroyed

and the kingdom

shall not be left to other

The Church
people, but
it

in the Wilderness.

343
all these

shall
it

break in pieces and consume

kingdoms, and

shall stand forever/'

And

as this pro-

phecy

is

admitted to refer to the kingdom or church of

therefore, sustains the doctrine of

Christ,

it,

church suc-

by the stone which symbolized the kingdom, that smote the image and broke it to pieces, and finally " became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." The stone kingdom did not become extinct; neither has it been given to other people;
cession or perpetuity.

This

is

also illustrated

but " "

it

shall stand forever."

Fourth: Once more; the Savior himself declared, that

Upon

this rock I will build

my

church

and the gates

of hell shall not prevail against

the

it."

No
first

one

who

believes

Word

of

God can

reasonably doubt the existence

it

of the true church ever since

the same prophetic

was

established.

But

Word which

teaches the perpetuity of

the church, also teaches that the church went into ob-

where she remained twelve hundred and sixty is also taught in the prophetic Song points out the tender relations existing of Solomon, which between Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, and the church, his bride, by the intimate relations existing between the husband and wife. Jesus, the Bridegroom, speaking to
scurity,

years.

This doctrine

the bride, his church, says:

"Oh my

dove,
'^^"^
mo7i, 2:

thou art in the

nance,

clefts of the rock, in the secret '

.

phices of the stairs, let

let

me

f fj"^ 14.
and

see thy counte:

me

hear thy voice

is

for sweet is thy voice,

thy countenance

comely."

This tender expression of

the bridegroom, representing the bride as in the cleft of

the rochj in the secret places of the stairs, doubtless points

out the history of the church during her wilderness obscurity, while secreted in the cleft or stairs of the Alpiue

344

The Waldensean
The bridegroom

(Period.

mountains.
^^

also represents her as his

undefiled/' fair one, Avhich shows that the church re-

mained uncorrnpted and pure during her wilderness testimony. And the Savior also represents her as sustaining the same character, when she comes out of the wilderness
;

for
on g

he says
^^^^

" Rise up,

:

my love, my
;

fair
is

0/0

omon,
^^_^^^

passed,

come away and the rain

;

for, lo,

the winter

is

over and gone

the

flowers appear on the earth

the time of the singing of

is

birds

is

come, and the voice of the turtle

heard in our
figs,

land

the fig tree putteth forth her green

and the

vines with the tender grape give a good smell.

love,

Arise,

my

and come away.^^ Thus we have the tender expression of the bridegroom calling to his beloved, the ciiurch, after the fearful winter of darkness and persecution had poured forth frightful storms upon her for twelve hundred and sixty years, to rise up and come away out of the wilderness, where her power may again be felt
fair one,

my

throughout the world.

Again
as she

We have the inspired description of the bride comes out of the wilderness. The question is pro:

pounded
Sana of Solomon, 8- 5 d 6- 10
r
l^

"

Who
Who

is this
^

that cometh
^

^^^^^ *^^^ wilderness, leaning

^^ ^

up upon her be^

loved

''

"

is

she that looketh forth

moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners ?^^ The answer would come, she is the bride, the Lamb's Avife, to whom had been given the wings of the great eagle, with which to fly into the wilderness to the place prepared of God, and where she had ever leaned upon the strong arm of her divine lover, who leads her forth from the v/ilderness as fair as the moon, as clear as the sun, and as terrible as an army

as the morning, fair as the

The Church in
with banners.
pollution,

the Wilder iiess.

345

Do

tliese

Scriptures teach the apostasy,

and

disgrace, of the bride of Christ ?

No

for

the bridegroom has pledged himself to be with her alway,

even unto the end of the world he would

call

and,

if it

were necessary,

twelve legions of angels to her rescue at

any

moment.
Because the world, in
failed to see
its blindness and superstition, has and recognize the bride, the Lamb's wife, durIt

ing her stay in the wilderness, shall

to exist during that

be said that she ceased

said of the

time?

As well might it be

which enters the mountain tunnel and comes out in full trim, that it ceased to exist because It was out of sight for awhile, or that it must have been ofP the track all the But when the train emerges time that It was not in view from the tunnel, on time, with the same officers, with the same passengers, with the same freight, and with the same characteristic brands, we have undisputed evidence that It Is the same train which entered the tunnel, and that It had been on the track all the time, or it would not have appeared on time with the same equipments and especially, if it had been controlled by an infallible conductor, who affirmed that the train had been preserved through the mountain. And likewise, as the church came out of the wilderness on time, according to the divine schedule, with the same officers, with the same passengers, with the same freight, and with the same characteristic marks, and having been controlled by the same infallible conductor, we may, therefore, safely conclude that the church has neither been
train
!

destroyed nor

off"

the track of truth during the wilderness

period of her history.

But the church has not been

;

totally

out of view during this period

her light has shined out

of the clefts of the rock, and her countenance has beamed

346

The Waldensean

(Period.

forth from the secret places of the stairs all the time.

And

might be affirmed that the Atlantic telegraph cable was broken into a thousand fragments, or that hundreds of miles of it are entirely wanting, bewith equal propriety
it

cause

it is

invisible to the eye, as to affirm that the

it

church
it

was destroyed because

is

was hid from some!

But when

known

that both ends of the cable are visible,

and that

the same electric fluid passes from one extremity to the other, no one doubts the succession of the Atlantic cable. And

when we

consider that the church

entered

the wilder-

Holy Spirit, and emerged from it bearing the same impress, we have the evidence of her perpetuity. But we are not left in total darkness with
ness bearing the impress of the

regard to the wilderness period of the church.

seen,

As

already

we have

the light of the prophetic

Word,

as the pillar

of

fire

everlasting

by night, which has pointed out the history of the kingdom through the wilderness period. It is
it is

true, that like the ancient pillar of fire,

itual Israel,

light to spir-

but darkness to the spiritual Egyptians, the

If
all

enemies of the church.

total blank, or

uninspired history was a

swallowed up in the gulf of oblivion, we have a perfect right to span the chasm with the prophetic
AYord, and boldly affirm that the gates of hell have not
prevailed against the church of Jesus Christ.

But

besides

the inspired

Word, we have

the testimony of friends,

and

even foes, to the perpetuity of the kingdom of God through The history of the all this dark period of the world. church
fires,

may be traced by the dismal light of her martyr and the blood of her witnesses, which has been poured
The
blood-thirsty foes of

forth like rivers in the desert.

the church have borne, with fiendish hate, their testimony

to the true church in their accusations

and charges against

(Pecviliarities

applied

to

the Wcildenses.

347

her members.
praise him.
to bear,

Truly,

God

has caused the wrath of

man

to

Even

old

Home

herself has been constrained

testi-

through her executioners, grim and bloody

mony

to the truth of the claims of the suffering saints

who

died as

members of the true kingdom of God.

Section II. The peculiaeities applied to the WAEDENSES.

"And

the

woman

fled into the wilderness,

.

where she

hath a place prepared of God, that they

should feed her there a thousand two hun-

dred and three score days.'^

we proceed to apply the Baptist peculiarities to the Waldenses, it may not be amiss to state again that the same class of people who were called Waldenses in the
Before

by other names in other "All these branches, however, sprang from one common stock, and were animated by the same religious and moral principles.^' We have not space in the present work to vindicate every branch of the Waldensean family from the slanderous charges which their enemies have preferred against them; but we desire to apply the Bible peculiarities to the main body of the Waldenses who inhabited the valleys of the Alps, or were in fellowship with them. But before we
valleys of the Alps, were called
countries.

But, says Mr. Jones:

proceed to

this, it

may

be interesting to furnish the reader

"

with a description of the valleys of Piedmont.

cipality

Mr. Jones gives the following description of Piedmont derives its name

The
^'

prin-

from the circumstance of its beino; ^ situated at the foot of the Alps, a prodigious

^^*'

p. 188.

^'.^fo

348

The Waldcnsean

(Period.

range of mountains^ the highest indeed in Europe, and

which divide Italy from France, SwitzerLand, and Germany. It is bounded on the east by the duchies of Milan and Montferrat; on the south by the county of Nice and the territory of Genoa on the west by France, and on the In former times it constituted a part of north by Savoy. liOmbardy, but more recently has been subject to the King of Sardinia, who takes up his residence at Turin, the capital of this province, and one of the finest cities in Europe. It is an extensive tract of rich and fruitful valleys, embosomed in mountains which are encircled again with mountains higher than they, intersected with deep and rapid rivers, and exhibiting in strong contrast the beauty and
;

plenty of Paradise in sight of frightful precipices, wide

and stupendous mountains of never-wasting is an interchange of hill and dale, mountain and valley traversed with four principal rivers viz the Po, the Tanaro, the Stura, and the Dora, besides about eight and twenty rivulets, great and small, which, winding their course in different directions, contribute to the fertility of the valleys, and make them relakes of
ice,

snow.

The whole country

:

semble a watered garden.

The

principal valleys are Aosta

and Susa on the north, Stura on the south, and, in the interior of the country, Lucerna, Angrogna, Paccapiatti, Pramol, Perosa, and S. Martino. The valley Clusone, or Pragela, as it is often called, was in ancient times a part of the province Dauphiny in France, and has been, from the days of Hannibal, the ordinary route of the French and other armies when marching into Italy. Angrogna, Pramol, and S. Martino, are strongly fortified by nature, on account of their many difficult passes, and bulwarks of rocks and mountains ; as if the All-wise Creator, says Sir

The

Valleys of (Piedmont.

349

Samuel Morland, had, from the beginning, designed that

place as a cabinet wherein to put some inestimable jewel,
souls which should was into these wilderness valleys, surrounded by the bulwarks of the Almighty, that the main body of the Church of Christ found a place of security from the wrath of the papal dragon. The Waldenses regarded themselves as having been directed by prophecy in their flight to these valleys. Of this, Mr. Robinson remarks ^' Let it not , -n ^,^ Roh.^s EccL Res.. seem romantic it we suppose that [thej ^^^ "Waldenses, who, we know, studied the

or in which to reserve

many thousand
It

not

bow

the knee before Baal.''

,1

-\

'

Revelation of John, thought themselves directed to re-

by God himself, to sequestered places for, by the New Testament prophet, he said, The woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and three score days.' " Thus it is seen that the Waldenses claimed no human origin; but that they. were the true church, symbolized by the woman which fled into the wilderness. We come now to the application of the pecutire,
;

liarities.

First: TJie Waldenses possessed the Bajotist 'peculiarity'

of regarding Jesus Christ as their founder and head. This is shown from the very reproach cast upon them

by

their enemies; for they were called Acepjhali, the head-

less,

because they acknowledged no human head or founder. Commenius, a Bohemian writer, gave the

following account of the claims of the

Waldenses

in

1644

"And
them,

^2%tw^hes^J'^ forasmuch as piedmont p 205

the said Waldenses declared that they had

lawful bishops

among

and a lawful and uninterrupted

350

The Waldenscan Period.

succession from the apostles themselves; they very solemnly

created three of our ministers bishops, conferring upon

them

the power of ordaining ministers, though they did not think

fit

to take

upon them the name of bishops, because of the

antichristian abuse of that

Avith the

name

contenting themselves

name of

elders/'

This very important passage

they liable to the charge of
bitter en-

shows that the Waldenses claimed an uninterrupted succession

from the

apostles.

Were

'^Popish

succession f^'

emy
Quoted in Allix^s
Churches of Fied,.
.

says
,

By no means; for their that: "They affirm

.,
,
,
,

that they
,

Church of Christ, and his / ihey declare themselves to be moiit p. 209. the apostles' successors to have apostolic authority, and the keys of binding and loosing. They hold the Church of Rome to be the whore of Babylon, and that all that obey her are damned, especially the clergy that are subject to her since the time of Pope Sylvester." It has ever been the case, that those who have claimed the true succession, have borne the most faithful testimony against the false succession of Rome. In a Waldenscan
^j^^^^ ^^,^ ^|^^

disciples,

Confession of Faith published in 1G55, article twentyfourth reads as follows:

WaldilJ^^^^^^^

"That God has

but she
this
it

gathered together a church in this world

for the salvation

of mankind;
is

has but one head and foundation, which

Jesus Christ."

And we have
will

article twenty-sixth, as follows:

fail,

"That

church can not

or be quite destroyed

but that

always remain."

It has been already observed, that

the same class of people called Waldenses in the valleys,

were called Paterines, especially in Italy.

dates back to the Novatians.
that
:

This name

Dr. Allix says of them,

" It appears that the Berengarians, wlio were of the

Waldenses held the

(Bible as their (Rule.

351

same stamp with Patcrines, did discourse much at the same rate as the Waklensos did afterward. This is evident from Lanfranc, where he /f * ^'^^ ^1^
'

Fiedmont,

p. 134.

tells

us that they accused the church to

in their party alone

by reason of ignorance, and that the church and they, with the Berengarians, called the Church of Rome the congregation of the wicked and the seat of Satan.''^ Thus these early Wal denses maintained that themselves alone were the true. Church of Christ; that they had the true succession;
liave erred

remained

and that

Home

is

Antichrist.

The

bitterest foes of tho

Waldenses have never charged them with holding any other founder and head than Jesus Christ. We may consider it a settled point that the Waldenses possessed tht
Baptist peculiarity which recognizes Jesus Christ alone
as the founder

and head of

his

Church.
will

Second

The

Baptists regard the Bible alone as their

;

rule of faith

and practice

and, upon examination,

it

be found that the Waldenses also possessed the same peculiarity.

No

historic fact is

more

clearly developed than

that the Waldenses adhered with unyielding tenacity to

the Scriptures as their only guide in matters of religion.

iEneassylvius,

who came

to be

Pope Pius
:

II., gives the

following in his account of the Waldenses

is

" Whatsoever
^^^^^^^
ti-^'s
'"^ ^^- ^^' Churches of

preached without Scripture proof, they

account no better than fables.

-TT

That the
/>

Holy Scriptures

CI

('

is of

the same efficacy

.A

m
.

pi,,i,^^,,t,

p. 236.

the vulgar tongue as in Latin, and accordingly they communicate and administer the sacraments in

the vulgar tongue.

They can say

heart.''

a great part of the

Old

and

Testament by of Pope Pius concerning

New

This acknowledgment

this peculiar feature of the

Wal-

252

The
is

WaldcTiscaii (Period.

denscs,

but the voice of history on this point

the

Wal-

denses claim no other standard of faith and practice ex-

Mr. Robinson testifies of the Waldenses, as follows From the Church of Rome they distinguish themselves by reducing,
cept the Bible.
^^
:

To

the same effect

Hob.^s Eccl. Ecs.,

,p.
'

as they supposed, the ancient

trine to practice,

,1

1,1

T^

Roman

doc-

by

rejecting the

Pope
Scrip

the prelates, and

councils, fathers,

all

the religious orders, by renouncing

all traditions,

and

and adhering

to

ture alone as a rule of faith, and by refusing all the papa^

ceremonies of baptism, the Lord^s Supper, penance, orders,

and

so on.

They

are also distinguished from the latter

lit-

Vaudois, and the reformed churches, by not using any

urgy; by not compelling faith; by condemning parochial

churches; by not taking oaths; by allowing every person,

even women, to teach by not practicing infant baptism by not admitting god-fathers by rejecting all sacerdotal habits; by denying all ecclesiastical orders of priesthood, papal and episcopal by not bearing arms and by their abhorrence of every species of persecution.^^ Once more We introduce the testimony of a minister who had been
;

his

pastor of one of the "VValdensean churches for forty years name is Vignaux. He says of the Waldenses " That
:

onts {^10 e Ch. His., p. 264.

the

Holy
1,
''i

Scriptures contain all that

1

is

YiQC^s^'dVY to

our salvation, and that we

,.

are called to believe only

11 what they teach,

1 1

without any regard to the authority of

;f

man

that nothing

else

ought to be received by us except what

God
;

hath

commanded. ^^ And it is an interesting fact, that the anthey surcient Waldenses were mighty in the Scriptures Mr. Jones quotes passed all others in Bible knoAvledge. Thuanus, an eminent Catholic historian, as making the

Waldenses held ike

(Bible

as their (kide.

353

following admission concerning the Waldenses

" They
*'

can

all

read and write.

They know French

'

sufficiently for the

understanding of the

'

^.-i

Bible and the singing of psalms.

scarcely find a boy
intelligent account of the faith

You

can
give you an

among them who can not

which they profess.'^ Waldenses with Luther, Calvin, and " The reformers, JNIr. Jones remarks that with all their zeal and learnino^, w^ere babes o^^ p. 326. in spiritual knowledge when compared
trasting the
:

Conothers,

'

with the more

laws,

illiterate

Waldenses, particularly

in

regard

to the nature of the

kingdom of Christ and

in general.'^

its institutions,

and worship

Many

other testimonies

could be introduced, showing that the Waldenses not only

professed to regard the Bible as their standard, but they

were eminently a Bible people

in point of

knowledge.

We

regard the point fully established in history, that the Waldenses possessed the Baptist peculiarity of holding the

Bible alone as their rule of action in matters of religion,

and therefore, in this respect, they were Baptists. Third : It is evident, also, that the Waldenses preserved the Bible order of the commandments which now characterize the Baptists
;

they taught repentance, faith, haptisnij

and
In

the Lord^s Supper.

That they held the Bible order

of repentance and faith, has never been called in question.

fact,

they were compelled to observe this order as the

result of following the Scriptures as their only guide.

Their views of
hereditary and

depravity, which they regarded as and the operation of the Holy Spirit in conversion, forced them uj^on the Bible order of holding repentance before the faith with the heart. In their Con" That this fession, of 1365, Article XVIII stands thus
total,
:

human

3^1

The V/aldensean Period.

^ith comes from the gracious and efficacious operations

which illuminates our them to rely upon the Vaudois, p. zdo. mercy of God, to be applied by the merits of Jesus Christ/^ Every one must know that this faith, which is produced by the influence of the Holy Spirit upon but, the heart, must follow, in point of order, repentance faith has never been a as the order of repentance and matter of dispute in the history of the Waldenses, we pass
of the
^

Holy
^,

Spirit,

emus

IS.

o;

g^^jg ^^^j enables

to the next point,

which

is

their teaching that faith pre-

cedes baptism.

This point

is

fully settled in chapter sixth of this book,

where the cliarge that the Waldenses baptized infants, is fully met. I will, however, introduce some proofs in regard to the teaching of the Paterines, who were the same
with the ancient AYaldenses.
Allix' s Churches of
-i

Dr. Allix says

i
i?i.

"

We
j.
. .

find

the Berengarians exposed to the same caPiedmont,

.
,

^.,y

i i imputed to lumnies which were alterward

i j.
.

p. 13o.

the Paterines and Waldenses.

This

is

evi-

dent from the discourse of Guimondus, Bishop of

lib. I,

A versa,
and

contra Bereng.; where he accuseth them of over-

throwing, as

much

as in

them
It

lay, lawful marriages,

is

the baptism of infants.'^

true that Dr. Allix, the

Pedobaptist historian, calls this charge against the Paterines a calumny.

ters

But it is certain that the Catholic wrisame time and in the same countries with the Paterines, knew more about their practice than

who

lived at the

Dr. Allix, who lived in the present century.

the other charge
riage
viz
:

they did

that these Paterines

reject

And

as to

rejected laAvful

mar-

what Catholics
priests.

call lawful marriage,

marriage by Catholic

Historians are agreed

that the Catholics did charjj^e the ancient

Waldenses and

Waldenses held the

Paterines
ligiously

(Bible

Order.

355

who were, with the

1 1
,

really^ the

same

class of people re-

rejection of infant baptism.

:

On
T)
,

this point

Mr. Robinson says

,1

"

As

the Catholics
Eccl. Res., '

of those times baptized by immersion, the

l-*aterine3,

called

by what name soever they were as Manicheans, Gazari, Josephists,

RohJs
..^

Arnoldists, Passagines, Bulgarians, or Bongres

complaint of the mode of baptizing ; but,

of infants, and condemned
as

made no when they were

They
said,

examined, they objected vehemently against the baptism

it

an

error.

among
ter

other things, that a child

knew nothing

of the mat-

that he had no
him."

desire to be Baptized,

pable of

making any

confession of faith,

and was incaand that the

willing and professing of another could be of no service

to

This quotation shows that the ancient Wal-

denses, also called Paterines, positively opposed infant bap-

tism ; they held the Baptists' order of faith before baptism.

It
is

a historic fact, that the ancient Waldenses, from the

time of the flight of the

close of the twelve

woman

into the wilderness, to the

years, bore testimony

hundred and sixty

to the Bible order of faith prior to baptism.

And

as

no

one has ever dared to charge them with the gross absurdity of placing the

Lord's Supper before baptism,

we may

justly conclude that the

Waldenses preserved the Bible

order of the

and the Lord's Supper.

were Baptists in

commandments Repentance, Faith, Baptism, Thus we find that the Waldenses

this respect.

possessed the third Baptist peculiarity, and, therefore^ they

Fourth

Baptists immerse, or bury ivith Clirist in hap-

tism, only those

who profess

to be

dead

to,

or freed from, sin.

aa

We now proceed to the examination of the Waldenses

regards the fourth Bible peculiarity.

After the rise of

356

Tr.e

Wa^deiizean (Period.

the Arian controversy, the Catholics originated the practice

of trine immersion.

In baptism, they dipped the

candidate once in the

of the

name of the Father, once in tiie name Son, and once in the name of the Holy Ghost.
to the apostolic practice of

But the AValdenses adhered "one baptism.*^ They buried

in baptism only once those

who
is

professed to be dead to sin.

They were charged,

it

true,

with Anabaptism, or re-baptism, which they de-

nied, on the

ground that even the immersions performed

all.

by

false

churches were invalid, and not baptism at

following language:
,

The

suffering Waldenses, in their supplication to

Emanuel,

Duke of Savoy, used the

His. Wald., Amer.

"The Turks,
i
,

Jews, Saracens, and other nations, though

i

S U

7"

iiever so barbarous, are sutrered to enjoy

<y>

no

man

to

their own religion, and are constrained by change their manner of living and worship;

and we, who serve and worship in faith the true and Almighty God, and one true and only Sovereign, the Lord Jesus, and confessing one God and une baptism, shall not

we be suffered to The point has

Waldenscs

enjoy the same privileges

?'^

already been fully established, that the

Ijaptized

none except professed believers.

And

they considered a true believer as a child of God; therefore they did not baptize sinners, the children of the Devil,

in order to

make them

children of

God; they baptized

tn
in the

those

who

professed to be dead to, or freed from, sin.

a Confession of Faith published

by the Waldenses year 1120, we have the following: "Aet. XII.

,V 4 Muston,

We do
faith-

believe that the sacraments are signs of the

p. 300.

ofJ

'

\\o\y thinsT, " ^^ or visible

forms of the invisiit

ble grace, accounting

ful

good that the

sometimes use the said signs or visible forms,

if it

may

Wald^nses opposed (Baptismal Salvation.

be done.

357

However, we believe and hold that the above-

said faithful

may

be saved without receiving the signs

aforesaid, in case they

have no place nor any means to use XIII. AVe acknowledo-e no other sacrament but Baptism and the Lord's Supper.'^ This unmistakably settles the point, that the Waldenses did not regard bapthem.
AiiT.

tism as necessary to the pardon of sins; they regarded

baptism and the Lord's Supper as signs of invisible things. In another Confession of Faith, published in 1669,
the AYaldenses have the following: ^'29. That

God

has

ordained the sacrament of baptism to be a testimony oi our adoption, and ot our

,

,.

jy

X-

Israel of the Alps,

^a-

being cleansed from our sins by the blood

of Jesus Christ, and renewed in holiness of
life.^*

Thus we

discover that the AYaldenses regarded baptism

as a testimony of the cleansing

from

sins

by the blood of
in order
to
it.

Jesus Christ.

With them, baptism was not

sin,

the cleansing from

but a testimony of

In
in

fact,

the

Waldenses regarded baptismal salvation,

Antichrist.

connection

with infant baptism, as one of the leading features of

In a

treatise

concerning Antichrist, written

it is

by the Waldenses

in the twelfth century,

supposed,

we have

the followins; remarkable lanQ-uao;e concernino; the doctrine of Antichrist " He teaches
:

to baptize children into the faith, and at-

^^'-

^''

"^""l^.

tributes to this the

work of

regeneration,

thus confounding the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration with the external rite of baptism,

and on
all

this

foundation bestows orders, and, indeed, grounds

tianity.^'

Chris-

By

this

we

learn that the Waldenses regarded infant

baptism and baptismal salvation as a leading feature of

358

The Waldensean
it is,

(Period.

Antichrist;

therefore, certain that they only baptized

such as professed to be real saints, or children of God.

We

have the testimony of Evervinus, a Catholic writer

of the twelfth century, that the ancient Waldenses rejected

infant baptism.

He wrote a letter to
^'
:

St.

Bernard concern-

ing the Waldenses about Cologne, in which he represents

them

as follows

the church, and.

Allix's Churches , . ^__ , of Pied., p. 157.
i

Thus they make void the priesthood of condemn the sacraments

-i

besides

baptism only; ^
'

i and

j.i

this

onlv

those

who

are

come

to age,

who, they say,

are baptized by Christ himself, whosoever be the minister

of the sacraments.

They do

not believe infant baptism;

alleging that place of the Gospel, whosoever shall believe^

and

he baptized, shall be saved.'^

it is

But enough on

this

point;

a point fully proved that the ancient

Waldenses

baptized, only those

who

professed to be true believers, or

those

who

professed to be dead to sin.

But did they imIt

is

merse, or bury in baptism, their converts ?

conceded

by
of

historians that immersion

all

was the prevailing practice

exceptions to this practice

denominations which professed Christianity down to

the thirteenth century.

The

were, that in cases of sickness the Catholics performed

wdiat has been called ^'clinic baptism ^^

by

affusion; but

they did not plead Scripture authority for this departure

from apostolic practice they only pleaded necessity. But Waldenses adhered to the Scriptures, rejecting all the traditions of men, they did not adopt this innovatior.. And, according to their doctrine, there was no necessity
;

as the

foi clinic

baptism

for they rejected baptismal salvation,

which gave rise to the custom of the baptism of the sick It is admitted by to save them from the torments of hell. candid historians and learned Pedobaptists that sprinkling

Waldenses for Immersion.

or pouring
is

359

Romish

tradition,

and

as the

Waldenses

regarded these traditions with abhorrence, they, therefore,

rejected the traditions of sprinkling

and pouring instead

of baptism.
tice

Even

those societies which adopted the prac-

of infant baptism continued the ancient practice of

immersion; for they immersed their infants, mostly with

three dips.
rian,
ling,

Dr. \Yall, the celebrated Pedobaptist histo-

speaking of the introduction of pouring and sprink-

remarks:
,

"And though
till
,,
,
.

the English
' .

received not this custom

01
it

^ ropery,

f \ vol yet they have since received

after the decay

I, p.

''

%.^o^"^ 728.

from such neighboring nations as had begun

it

in the

times of the Pope's poAver.

But

all

other Christians in the

world,

who never owned

the Pope's usurped power, do,

and ever

the ordinary use." Again, in speaking of the administration of baptism among

did, dip their infants in

the ancients. Dr. \Yall says

" Their general and ordinary

''

way was

by immersion, or dipit were an infant f"/ "l\^'^^ .i^oL I, p. /06. or grown man or woman, into the water. This is so plain and clear, by an infinite number of pasto baptize

ping whether > r o the person,

i-

sages, that, as one can not

but pity the weak endeavors of

it,

such Pedobaptists as would maintain the negative of

also

so

disown and show a dislike of the profane scoffs which some people give to the English Anti-pedobaptists merely for their use of dipping. It is one thing to
to

we ought

maintain that that circumstance

to the essence of baptism,

is

not absolutely necessary

to

and another
foolish, or as

go about to repre-

sent

it

as ridiculous
it

and

shameful and inde-

blessed Savior,

way by which our and for certain, was the most usual and ordinary way by which the ancient Christians did receiv
cent, pkvhen

was, in

all probability,

the

360
their baptism.

The Wald^nsean

(Period.

I shall not stay to produce the particular

proofs of this.

Many
and

of the quotations which I brought

shall bring,

for other purposes,

do evince

it.

It

is

great want of prudence, as well as of honesty, to refuse to

grant to an adversary what

is

certainly true,

and may bo

proved
says."
it is

so.

It creates a jealousy of all the rest that one

From

these passages from this eminent historian,

evident that the prevailing custom

among

ancient

Christians was an immersion or burial in baptism; and

the only exception to this was found

olics in favor

among Roman CathWaldenses neither

of sick people.

But

as the

originated with the Catholics nor received their traditions,

therefore they did not receive sprinkling or pouring, but

held the burial in baptism of those

who were

believers.

Keinerius Saccho, the Catholic persecutor of the Waldenses, says of them, that " They hold that none of the
:

ordinances of the church Avhich have been

^2?q
*

^*'

introduced since Christ's ascension, ought

to be observed, as being of

no value."

It

is

well

known

that sprinkling and pouring for baptism

have been introduced long since the ascension of Christ; and as the AYaldcnses rejected all such ordinances, thereThe fore they rejected sprinkling or pouring for baptism.
fact that the

Waldenses baptized
is

all

whom

they received
previously im-

into fellowship, even

when they had been

mersed by others,

positive proof that the

practiced immersion or burial in baptism.

Waldenses Those parties

who
r.s

are so indifferent about the

commands

of Jesus Christ

to practice sprinkling

insist

and pouring for baptism, do not the on baptism of those that come from other parties;
It

they are, therefore, not called Anabaptists.

may

be laid

down

as

an historic axiom, that

whe7'e

Anahaptism prevails^

Equality
immersion
'*

among

the

V/aldenscs.

361

is the action of baptism. The Waldenses were Anabaptists/^ not Munsterites ; therefore, they practiced

immersion, or burial, for baptism.

Tlie following, from

Joseph Belcher, shows that the Waldenses were known as

Anabaptists

complaining oi Calvin
apostolical

1..

" Bishop Bossuet, a Catholic,

n
r-i
^
'

party tor claiming

if

Bdiqious Dcnom., ; ,04

,

succession through the

^

denses, observes:

WalYou adopt Henry and Peter de Bruys

^^

among your

predecessors, but both of these everybody

knows were Anabaptists/

ing for baptism.

No historian has ever charged

consider
it

the Waldenses with the practice of sprinkling and pour-

We may

a point generally

admitted that the ancient Waldenses possessed the Baptist

peculiarity of holding the burial in baptism of those

who

are dead to sin.

Fifth: Baptists recognize equal rights or privileges in

kingdom of Jesus Clirist, Baptists have ever been distinguished by thein love of rethe execution of the laivs of the

ligious liberty, w^iile Pedobaptists

have generally claimed

the right to propagate religion by law.

We will
among

find this

Baptist peculiarity prominently developed

denses.

the

Wal-

The
:

inquisitor Reinerius, reports the

^'

Waldenses
^^'
"

as holding

That none

in the church
^^''''

ought to be greater than their brethren,^^

according to Matt. 20:
25, etc.

^^^243
^*
*"

It

is

known
in

that the Waldenses regarded the different orders

the ministry, established

the abominations of Antichrist.

by the Catholics, as part of They even allowed their

women

to teach in their congregations.

We

find, in

an
^^'

ancient Waldensean Confession, the follow" ing Article on liberty esteem for
:

We

^^oaa

an abomination and as antichristian,

all

362

The Waldenscan
human

^Period.

tiiose

inventions wliicli are a trouble or prejudice

lo

the liberty of the spirit."

Thus we

iuid the ancient

Waldenses, like the modern Baptists, contending for spirit It will be remembered that the Albior " soul-liberty."
genses were a branch or a part of the Waldenscan family
;

they held the same doctrine in every point of church

organization.
IS.

oj

'ng.

In regard to the point in question, Mr. Orchard remarks ^' The errors of the ap^iijij^^.j^gcs, who, in their church capacity,
:
.

tists,

p. 116.

^ , says Collier, had none but lay brethren to

the the

11

officiate

brotherhood, began

among them, and who professed ecpiality in now to grow more public." As to

charge, that the Albigenses had none but lay brethren for

must be understood with reference to Cathlaymen who had not received llomish ordination. The Waldenses had pastors ordained by themselves. It is so generally admitted that the ancient Waldenses recognized the equality of their membership, as regards church privileges, that it is unpreachers, this
olic

views

for they regarded all as

much space on this point. In the anWaldenscan documents preserved by Leger, and quoted by Monastier in his History of the Vaudois Church, we have the following: " ^Among other Ills, of the Vaudois r\ powers which (jrod has given his servants, CI / D 95 he has given them power to choose leaders (pastors) who may govern the people, and to appoint elders
necessary to occupy
cient
^

to their offices, according to the diversity of their

employ-

ments, in the unity of Christ, as the apostle proves in his epistle to Titus.' * * * ^s to the discipline of paston;, it
is

said

Whenever any one

sin,

of our pastors has fallen into

any disgraceful
office

he

is

expelled from our society, and the

of preaching

is

taken from him.'

As

to their support,

Equality
it is

among

the

Waldenses.

363

said

Our

food and clothing are supplied and given

and in the way of alms, as much as is needed, by the good people whom we teach.' The barbes, moreover, all applied themselves to some useful art, parNo hierarchical distincticularly medicine and surgery. the only difference that existed betion was established tween the pastors was that arising from age, or services performed, and personal respect.'' In this quotation, it should be observed, that it was the servants of God, members of his church, who wereto choose leaders or elders to the pastorship, and exclude them from the church if they proved unworthy and the only differto us gratuitously,
:

ence that existed between the pastors Avas that arising from
age, services 'performed,

and personal
:
.

respect.
His.

The same
(Tf

author further remarks

that this
,1
,

"

We

conceive
oi
i?
J.1

entire

submissiveness
to the

the ^, % Church,

theVaudois
p. 102.
^^,.

younger barbes (pastors)

more aged
Catholic authors into

and

to the leaders, has led

Roman

an error, and made them believe that the Yaudois had a

clerical hierarchy, like themselves, of bishops, etc.

But
the

nothing

in their history or writings authorizes

us to be-

lieve in the existence of

any other

distinction

among

barbes excepting that of age, experience, and personal

qualities,

which determined their choice of leaders as

cir-

ciunstances might require

as is

still

practiced, and, no It

doubt, was always practiced in this church.'^

may

be

regarded as an established historic

fact,

that the ancient

Waldenses possessed the Baptist peculiarity of religious equality in church membership. Dupin, the Catholic historian,

admits that Keinerius Saccho, the in-

quisitor,

ing,

charged the Waldenses with hold" that all the members of the church

Y'l^-f-

us^^

334
are equal;"
is

The Waldensean

(Period.

and "that the washing (baptizing) of

;

infants

of no avail to them

that the sureties do not understand

what they answer

to the priest,'^

This religidus equality among the Waldenses grows out

of their fundamental principles of taking the Bible alone
as their guide,

Jesus Christ.

Some have supposed

and pray

and claiming no founder and head but that the Waldenses

in the congregations.

carried this principle of equality to an extreme in allowing

the
it

women

to teach

But

should be remembered, that this was allowed in the

in the

church at Corinth
it

time of Paul, on condition that

be done with the head covered or vailed.

And

it

was

especially necessary
fact,

among

the Waldenses, owing to the

that in those fearful times of persecution the

women
Hisw^ent

could gain access where the pastors could not go.

tory shows that often the devout \Yaldensean
out,

women

two and two, on

foot, as missionaries, to teach

from

house to house, in their quiet way, the Gospel of salvation.

And

to avoid detection

by the Catholic

emissaries, they

usually took with them a basket of small wares or trinkets

to sell
;

but when the opportunity came, they would read

to the

and expound the Scriptures

other sinners. Sixth
:

deluded Catholics and

Baptists observe the Lord's Supper at his table in

It wdll also be found that the ancient

his kingdom.

Wal-

denses possessed this peculiarity also.

For the
is

discussion

of the communion question, the reader

ter thirteenth of this

referred to chapoften

work.

The Waldenses were

called PuritanSj because of their strenuous advocacy of

purity in doctrine and communion.

At

the beginning of

the sixteenth century the Catholic clergy instigated Uladislaus,

King

of Bohemia, to issue an edict to force the

Waldenses Strict in Connnunion.

^yaldenses, in his kingdom, to
tincs or Catholics.

365

commune with
to this edict,

the Calix-

In regard

Mr. Jones
'

remarivS

"

At

first

the states would not

''

allow this edict the force of law, go jealous

^^^

it

were the Bohemians of their liberties, and took four years to bring them to consent to a statute

which prohibited the ^United Brethren^ from holding any

religious assemblies, public or private;
their meeting-houses should all be

commanded

that

shut up, that they

should not.be allowed either to preach or print, and that

within a given time they should all
h.o\di

religious

comK^ot

munion

with either the Calixtines or the Catholics J^

edict,

long after the passage of this cruel

some of these

Wa-ldenses were committed to the flames because they

would neither commune with the Catholics nor with those

that did

commune with Rome.

true Waldenses were so strict in

By this we communion
In their
:

learn that the

that they pre-

ferred death by burning to the indorsement of error

by

communing with
tichrist, the

false churches.

treatise

on An*

ancient Waldenses said

"

We
''

hold communion and maintain unity one

^_

with another, freely and uprightly, having

no other object to propose herein but purely and singly to

please the Lord,

and seek the salvation of our souls.'' The Waldenses did not hold communion with Antichrist, but

with one another.

The

fact that the "Waldenses

main-

tained that the only true church was

furnishes evidence that they did not
for they regarded

among themselves, commune with others

;

communion

as a church ordinance in the

not, therefore, give or re-

kingdom of Christ; they could

ceive the Lord's

Supper beyond the limits of the church. Again: The Waldenses were called -.iTiaiop^ii'^s. They

366

The Waldensean

(Period,

would not receive to their fellowship and communion those who had been baptized by other parties. As already remarked, all those who practiced Anabaptism were also strict in their communion. Mr. Orchard remarks, on this
point
'

" The Albigenses prevailed in the

^^^^^^''
'

south of France.

These people admitted

those only to the Lord's Supper

who had

and prayer.'^ These Albigenses were the same with the Waldenses on They were really a all points of church organization. part of the same religious community. They were strict in communion. Those called Petrobrusians were ancient Waldenses. Mr. Orchard says that, " Peter de Bruys and his followers declared all baptisms S. Bapt. Beview, rm n x inull unless given to believers, ihey re^^^^ baptized all proselytes, and were antipedobaptists. They were very strict.'^ Again of the Waldenses, Mr. Orchard remarks " They
been immersed
(Mezeray,)
after

fasting

'

S. Bapt. Review,
.

^o

w^ere Scriptural, or strict

tists,

i.

communion
to

Jiap-

t>

so far as communities can be discov-

ered

among

them,''

No

historian,

known

me, has ever

the period

dared to assert that the ancient witnessing Waldenses

were open communionists.
there were no

During nearly

all

of the twelve hundred and sixty years of their testimony

modern Protestants for them to commune and when the Reformation of the sixteenth century occurred, the strict Waldenses had no more fellowship for them than they had for the Catholics. During eleven hundred years of the sackcloth testimony of the Waldenses, there were no Lutherans, no Episcopalians, no Presbyterians, and, of course, no Methodists, to tempt them to deviate from the laws of Jesus Christ in regard
with
;

Waldenses Strict in Communion.

to the Supper.

367

Will any one so

far stultify himself as to

affirm that these ancient sufferers held religious

commun-

ion with the

Romish apostasy?
all

The Waldenses regarded

the grossest idolatry
;

the Catholic worship as

they did not, therefore,

commune

with Antichrist.
of Korae
is

They boldly affirmed that the Church " the whore of Babylon '^ and any commun;

ion with her they regarded as spiritual fornication

an
W

unspeakable abomination. For repudiating the Romish communion, with all her abominable superstitions, the aldenses suffered untold persecutions through all the dark ages of popish rule. Yes: these ancient Waldensean Baptists,

as a denomination, raised the only standard of oppo-

sition

and protest against the- corruptions and blasphemy of the papal dragon during the dark midnight of the world for more than a thousand years before Luther, King Henry, Calvin, and others, raised the standard of rebellion in the Church of Rome, in which mighty religious earthquake a tenth part of the harlot city fell. But, alas these mighty reformers of the sixteenth century, instead of coming out of Babylon, as they were commanded, attempted to reform
!

that

old,

polluted,

miserable,

bloody,

debased,

cruel,

drunken
for the

ecclesiastical
!

bawd,

in order to prepare a bride

so

Lamb of God And their reforming efforts were tremendous as to shake "Mystery Babylon^' to her This brought on her pangs; and dark foundations.
amidst her mighty throes, which shook the nations, she

brought forth those

in the Bible,

ecclesiastical

organizations

called,

"Harlots and abominations of the

still

EAKTH."
tress of

These daughters of the old "Mother and Misretain the peculiar characteristic
;'^

Churches ^^

f-^^tures of the

" Mother Church

for they

have

all

sought,

368

The Waldensean Period.

into an

and entered, when they have had the opportunity,

And they, like adulterous marriage with civil powers. their mother, have " committed fornication with the kings
oi'

the earth. '^

'^^^^7^ ^s organizations,

have derived

their

more or less, and their church existence, from Rome. But now they come, dressed up in the garments of reformation, and wish to commune with The bride of the Lamb the bride, the Lamb's wife has no more business to af&liate and commune with these
ordinances, their laws,
!

mystic daughters of E-ome than the faithful wife has to

become the

associate of the
it

abandoned women of

earth.

But will

be said that there are some of God's children

which sprang from Catholicism? May There are some of God's children in old Rome herself; but they are commanded to " come out '^ of her. AYe are not to go into these human
in these churches

we not commune with them ?

societies to get

are required to
table in his

communion with them. The people of God come out, and eat and drinh at the Lord's kingdom. Most persons fail to distinguish

between organizations and individuals.

Many things may

It is true,

be true of organizations as such, which are not true of the

individuals w^iich compose those organizations.
as an organization, that the Church of as the "MotJier of Harlots ^^ but this

Rome is
is

represented

not true of every

Individually,

individual

member

of the Catholic church.

Church of Rome, many virtuous, honormen and w^omen. And more I am confident that there are some of God's dear children in the Romish Babylon. The same, and more, may be said of the churches which came from
there are, in the
able, conscientious, high-toned, charitable
:

Catholicism

for the reformed churches are

improvements

on popery.

The

unchastlty of these societies has regard

Wizldenses Strict in Cow.nvunion.

to their false worship, in giving the

369

should be given to

honor to men that God, by the mouth of the prophet, pointed out the cities of Samaria and Jerusalem under the figures of two debased "harlots;" and yet, there were some virtuous people in those cities, even some of God^s prophets. Mixed or "open" communion in-

God

alone.

volves the recognition of those organizations with whose

members we commune. The ancient witnessing Waldenses were what are now called "close" communionists. They
maintained, at fearful
cost, the

Bible teaching of restricted

communion.

They walked

in this "

narrow way."

They

possessed the same peculiar characteristic feature which

now

calls

Seventh:

down the frowns of the world on the Baptists. The Baptists have never persecuted others;
Both friends and
all others,

but have themselves always been peculiarly persecuted and every-where spoken against.
the superlative degree;
foes are

agreed that the Waldenses possessed this peculiarity in

for,

of

they have been

the most bitterly persecuted, and slaughtered by millions on account of their fidelity to Jesus Christ. It would occupy volumes to enter into a detailed history of the persecutions and sufferings of the ancient Waldenses. It was

the wrath of the papal dragon which

for the

made

it

necessary

church to

flee into

the wilderness to find an asylum

from the

fearful storms of persecutions raised against it;

and though the church was saved from destruction, yet "the remnant of her seed" endured the wrath of the In them dragon for twelve hundred and sixty years. " The said, fulfilled the is prophecy where it has been same horn made war with the saints, and ^ o. ^ ^Dan. 7: 21, 22,2o. .1 T prevailed agauist them until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of
.-,
.

370
the

The Wakienscan Period.

Most High, and the time came that the
saints pos-

sessed the

kingdom/^ ^^And they shall be given into his hands until a time, and times, and the dividing of time/'

At

the

commencement of this chapter

it

was seen that the

decree of the emperors Theodosius and Honorious

made
Alps,

death the penalty for re-baptizing.

against the Novatians,

This decree was made

who

fled to the valleys of the

and were afterward known as Waldenses. The Paulicians, who are known to have been the Waldenses of the East, suffered the most terrible persecutions under Theodora. Mr. Orchard says: "The severest perseici. '^-j ^V cutions experienced by ^ them was encour^ vol. i, p. 137. aged by the Empress Theodora, A.D. 845. Her decrees were severe, but the cruelty with which they were put in execution by her officers was horrible beyond Mountains and hills were covered with inexpression. Her sanguinary inquisitors explored cities and habitants.

mountains in

lesser Asia.

After confiscating the goods

and property of an hundred thousand of these people, the owners to that number were put to death in the most barbarous manner, and made to expire slowly under a variety The flatterers of the emof the most exquisite tortures. press boast of having extirpated in nine years that numWe have the following account of the ber of Paulicians.^' persecutions of a company of Waldenses who made their appearance in England in the year 1159: "Toward the

f 213
by

^^'*

"^"^
'

middle of the twelfth century a small so^^^*^ ^^ *^^^^^ Puriia7is, as they were calkd by some, or WaldenseSj as they were termed
were denominated by

others, or Paulicians, as they

our old monkish historian, William of Newburg, made This latter writer, speaking their appearance in England.

Waldenses (Persecuted.
of them, says
'

371

They came

originally from GascoynGj

where, being as numerous as the sand of the sea, they sorely infested both France, Italy, Spain, and England.'^'

"They were apprehended, and brought

before a council of the clero^y at Oxford.
. . .

Being interrogated about

their teacher,
in their

P-

213.

^.^

'

''

their religion,

named Gerard,

man

of learning, ansv/ered

name, that they were Christians, and believed the

doctrines of the apostles.

it

Upon a more particular inquiry, was found that they denied several of the received doc-

trines of the church, such as purgatory, prayers for the

dead, and the invocation of saints; and refusing to aban-

don these damnable heresies, as they were ca-lled, they were condemned as incorrigible heretics, and delivered to the secular arm to be punished. The king (Plenry IL), at the instigation of the clergy, commanded them to be
branded with a red-hot iron on the forehead,
through the
all

to

be whipped

streets of

Oxford, and, having their clothes

fields,

cut short by their girdles, to be turned into the open

persons being forbidden to afford them any shelter or

under the severest penalties. This cruel sentence was executed in its utmost rigor; and, it being the depth of winter, all these unhappy persons perished with cold and hunger.'^ Thus we have the record of the sad fate of these- thirty Waldenses, men and women, wdio fled into England from the hands of persecution, only to meet a more fearful doom from the hands of those who professed to be Christians. Again Ildefonsus, the King of Arragon, issued a cruel edict against the Waldenses in the year 1194, in which is contained language as follows " AVhosoever, therefore, from this day for- '^'^'^g ^^' ^''' ward, shall presume to receive the said
relief
: :

372

The Wakiensean

(Period.

Waldenses and Inzabbati, or any other heretics of whatsoever profession, into their houses, or to be present at their
pernicious sermons, or to afford
favor, shall thereby incur the

them meat, or any other

indignation of Almighty

God,

as well as ours,

and have

his

goods confiscated withif

out the remedy of an appeal, and be punished as

actually guilty of high treason.'^

he were

Thus

Ave learn, that in

alty for giving food, or

Arragon, now Spain, the penshowing any other favor to the

hated Waldenses, was death, as for high treason.

What

must have been the wrath and indignation against these poor people, when it was considered a crime worthy of death, for even a Catholic to favor one of them with shelter from the storm, a piece of bread, or a cup of
cold water?
o?ies
I.

And

in this persecution,

^^The archbishops
as

and bishops of Guienne and other provIS.,

-j-j^gg

q France, as well
different

the

clergy
w^ere

throughout the

dioceses,

enjoined to banish the Waldenses, Puritans and Paterines

from their

territories; to

mark them, and take

care that

they should neither enjoy Christian privileges while living, nor burial

when

dead.'^

might have been supposed, that the Catholic fury would have been satiated with the death of these saints,
It

but not so; they persecuted the mutilated bodies of the

dead Waldenses, by denying them the poor privilege of

a resting-place in the grave.
Is this the religion of Jesus ?

About the time of the marching of the crusading armies

against the Albigenses in the south of France, a public
discussion was agreed upon, between the Albigenses

and

the Catholics,

who

entered into the discussion under preto

tense of fairness, in order

detain their unsuspecting

Waldenses (Persecuted,
victims
sion
till

373
the discus-

the arrival of the crusaders^

when

was terminated with

the slaughter of the Albigenses.

The

discussion had progressed several days, conducted on the part of the Albigenses by Arnold Hot, and on the part of the Catholics by bishop Eusus, when it was suddenly broken up by the Catholic army of the crusaders, which w^as employed to murder those whom the bishops could not vanquish in debate. And after the slaughter

of those assembled, this holy

late the country,

(?)

army proceeded

to deso-

and ^'Uhe armies employed by Pope Innocent III. destroyed above two hundred thousand of them in the short space ^^^^^f ^^^' ^^'
of a few months.^"
of Christians.
It will be

remem-

bered, that the Albigenses and Waldenses were the same

class

And

in

order to exterminate the

Albigenses from the south of France, crusading armies

were raised by order of the Pope

w^ork.

to

perform this bloody

In order the better to seduce the superstitious Catholics into their army, they were granted plenary indulgence to sin, wdth the promise of the joys of heaven, So great as a reward for murdering the saints of God. -svas their enthusiasm against the Albigenses, that "the
legate Milo's

army was found

to consist
-^^'J'^^ D 144

of about three hundred thousand fighting

^^v

And the enormities committed by men.^^ these so-called " Christian armies" beggars all description.
Concerning these desolating scenes, Mr. Jones remarks:
"

The

scenes of slaughter

and devastation which had been

Jones'
p. 290.
Cli.

carried on against the Albigenses in the

southern provinces of France, for more

His.,

than twenty years during the former part

of the thirteenth century, in w^hich time
it

has been corn-

374

The Waldensean

^Period.

puted that a million of persons bearing that name were

\ it to death,

had occasioned many of them

to cross the

Pyrenees, and seek a shelter from the storm in the Spanish

provinces of Arragon and Catalonia/^

In regard

to the persecutions of the

Waldenses

in other

countries, in the latter part of the thirteenth century,

owes
I.

Mr.

Jones says: "In Sicily in particular, the

IS.,

jj-Qpgj.j^^ fyj.y

raged against them.

They

were ordered to be treated with the greatest severity, that they might be banished, not only from And throughout Italy, the country, but from the earth. both Gregory IX. and Honorius IV. harassed and op])ressed them with the most unrelenting barbarity, by means of the Inquisition. The living were, without mercy, committed to the hands of the executioner, their houses razed to the ground, their goods confiscated, and even the slumbering remains of the dead were dragged from their graves and their bones committed to the flames.'^ These

persecutions were not the result of the outburst of passion

upon the part of inferior officers in the Catholic service; it seems to have been the settled policy of the Pope, with all his inferior clergy, to eradicate from the Catholic mind and heart every principle of compassion, in order to
but
instigate every son of the

church to persecute the Wal-

denses with the fury of incarnate fiends.

About the year 1400 the Waldensean inhabitants of the valley of Pragela were surprised by the Catholic soldiers. The attack was made upon them in December, when the mountains were covered with snow. As the work of
slaughter and death went on in the valley, the remnant

of the inhabitants that escaped the fury of the soldiers,

perished in the mountain snows.

Mr. Jones

says, of their

Waldo^ises (Persecuted.

375

fate:

"They

fled to one of the

^

highest
^^^T^r.
^'

with their wives mountains of the Alps, ^ and children, the unhappy mothers carrysuch of their offspring as were able to walk.

^^''

p.

319.

ing the cradle in one hand, and with the other leading

Their inhu-

man

invaders, whose feet were swift to shed blood, pursued

them in their flight until night came on, and slew great numbers of them before they could reach the mountains. Those that escaped were, however, reserved to experience Overtaken by the shades of a fate not more enviable. night, they wandered up and down the mountains, covered with snow, destitute of the means of shelter from the inclemencies of the w^eather, or of supporting themselves

under

it

by any of the comforts which Providence has

destined for that purpose.

Benumbed with

cold, they fell

an easy prey
or lying

to the severity of the climate, and,

when

the

night had passed away, there were found in their cradles,

upon the snow, four

life,

score of their infants de-

prived of

many

of their mothers also lying dead by

and others just on the point of expiring. During the night their enemies were busily employed in plundering the houses of everything that was valuable,
their sides,

wdiich they conveyed aTray to Susa.

poor

woman

bew^as

longing to the Waldenses,

named Margaret Athode,

next morning found hanging upon a tree."

In order

to

instigate the civil rulers to slaughter the AYaldenses as

they would ravenous beasts, the Catholic clergy Avere ac-

customed

to fabricate

and

circulate the

most fabulous slan-

ders and falsehoods concerning these people.

They even
^^'-

represented their children as little monsters. The Duke of Savoy, " having been

^^'

^'"g'^j^

informed that their young children were

The Waldensean Period.

born with black throats; that they were hairy, and had four rows of teeth, with only one eye, and that placed in he commanded some of the middle of the forehead,

them

to be

brought before him at Pignerol, where, being

for being so easily

satisfied

by occular demonstration that the Waldenses

were not monsters, he blamed himself

imposed upon by the clergy of the Catholic Church as to credit such idle report,^' etc. This illustrates the blinding power of " religious " prejudice.

In the fifteenth century, when the Waldenses were slaughtered in the valley Loyse, by the command of Pope Innocent YIII., a part of the inhabitants had taken
refuge in the caves in the mountains.

But the Catholic

general discovered their places of retreat, and built large

fires in

the entrances to the caves

were, in this w^ay, suffocated in their caves

and immense numbers and among the rest, /our hundred children were "suf;
:

^
^^"22
'

focated in their cradles, or in the arms of

their dead mothers/'

In the early part of

the sixteenth century, the most cruel persecutions continued

to

be waged against the Waldenses in the south of France;

in

and

the year 1545,

John Meinier

led the Catholic

in

forces

against the Waldenses

in Provence,

France.
^yretch

And among
ones
J).
.

other horrid cruelties, this

inhuman
in

"shut up about forty women

w.,

a barn
set it

^^Y\ Qf
fire;

};jr^y
-'

r^^-y^

331.

straw, ^

and then
fire

on

and

after that,
to

the poor creatures,

having attempted in vain

smother the

with their

had pulled off, betook themselves to the great window, at which the hay is commonly pitched up into the barn, with an intention to leap down from thence. But they were kept in with spikea
clothes, which, for that end, they

Waldensss Persecuted,
and
It
is

37'

spears, so that all of

them perished

in the flamcs.^^

heart-sickening

to record

the horrid transactions

their

of Catholic popes and

their

emissaries, in

vain

attempt to destroy the Church of Christ from the world.

It

would be more pleasant

to

dismal scenes of persecution, and

designs of history

draw a curtain over thosa let them be forever

But, one of the

blotted from the history o the world.

is

to give faithfully, not only the rise

of principles and systems, but also their fruits for good or

coming generations may avoid the errors which the world with misery and woe. Roman Catholics are no worse by nature than others. The persecutions which they have waged against others, arise from their false religious principles. The first step tovv'ard
evil, that

have

filled

persecution

among

professed Christians,

was the gradual

introduction of a change from the simple brotherly com-

pact of religious equality established by Jesus Christ, for

the hierarchy in the third century.

As

long as the princi-

ples of religious equality are observed, there can be

persecution.
ecclesiastical

Any

religious system

no which gives one person

is

authority over another, contains the seeds

of persecution.

Infimt baptism and membership

but

the development of the principle of a hierarchal form of

church government, which gives one person rule over We may, therefore, consider infant baptism as the second element of religious
another in matters of religion.
persecution. Where all have equal rights in church government, there can be no infant baptism; and Avhere there is no infant baptism^ religious persecution, to the

shedding of blood,

is not likely to prevail. Every church holding an episcopal, or hierarchal form of government, has persecuted when it has had the power. The Wal-

378

The Waldensean

(Period.

denses have never persecuted others.

persecute on Baptist
principles.
it

It

is

impossible to

Some have concluded had the power, would persecute and shed the blood of others on the account of religion. This is a mistake. Baptists, though sorely persecuted from generation to generation, have never oppressed, imprisoned, or caused the blood of others to be shed, on the ground of religion. This is one of the strongest proofs tliat we have the Bible organization. It has been supposed that the Catholic Church would not now persecute, if she had the power, as she did in former times. This is a mistake; for Home now possesses every element of despotism and persecution that she ever had. In fact, the element of persecution seems to be on
that every church, if

the increase with the Catholics

for, in this

present year,

A. D. 1870, the slight restraint heretofore resting on the Pope from the authority of the General Council, has been removed, and the Pope has been declared infallible by the
General Council at Rome.
to
*

And

even to this day, the

Catholic bishops are sworn, in their oath of consecration,

^'

oppose and persecute heretics to the

*'

2^0

utmost of their power."

they are, therefore,
sicor-n to

They have

re-

garded the Baptists as "heretics'^ of the

deepest cast
tists to
;

persecute BapBaptists are

the utmost of their power.

Modern

not generally apprised of the great cost at which Baptist

principles have been preserved.
instigation of

In the year 1232,

at the

Pope Gregory IX., the Emperor Frederick IL, "^commanded all judges immed lately
''

'

'

.,

)S.

U., p. 57.

to deliver to the flames every ^

man

who should be

convicted of heresy by the

bishop of his diocese, and to pull out the tongue of those

Waldenses Persecuted.
to Avliom the

379

bishop should think it proper to show favor, might not corrupt others/ " It was sometimes the custom for the Catholics to cut out the tongues of the AValdeuses to prevent their preaching while they were burning at the stake. But amid all these fearful sufferings God caused the wrath of man to praise him, so that the saying was verified,
that they

that "

The blood

of the martyrs

is

the seed of the church.'^

:

same effect, Mr. Jones remarks that " Those bloody edicts which were published, those Jones^ Ch. His., Tixi jxix tires which were lighted up, and that va0,0 riety of torments which priests and inquisto the
li
\
'

And

V.

itors

invented with ingenious cruelty, served in reality to

to inflame, rather than extinguish, that

propagate the doctrines against which they were employed,

and contributed

ardent zeal with which the Protestants were animated.'^

.

Near the

close of the long period

marked

as the

Wal-

densean period^ the Waldenses began to be called Baptists.

They had been

called Anabaptists

from the time

of Xovatian.

Cardinal Hosius, a learned Catholic,

" If the truth

who

was chairman of the Council of Trent, speaking of the

AValdensean Baptists,, says
of
relio^ion
:

were to be iudo^ed of bv the ^^/ ^oV-* readiness and cheerfulness which a man of any sect shows in suffering, then the opinions and persuasions of no sect can be truer or surer than those of the Anabaptists; since there have been none for these twelve hundred years past that have been more grievously punJslied.^'

'^^"'

Reader,

mark
to

the historic fact, that for twelve hundred

the Baptists

years prior

1570

had

suffered the most

cruel punishments on account of their principles.

This

380

Tlic

Wddensean

Period,

can be said of no donomi nation except the Baptists.

the twenty-fifth day of Jannary,

Near

the close of the AVahlonsean period, in the year 1G55, on

Andrew

Gastahlo, the

Catholic oovernor under the

Duke

of Savoy, published a

most inhuman "order'' against the AValdenses of the valleys of

Piedmont.

And

in this fiendish
'^

order of Gas-

taldo the Waldenses were reipiired,

after the
Juncs^
.-,,_

With in three days

tJioi^e
1
J

j^ implication
I

of

presents, to
-ii

Ch.

His.,
'

77 lodharaw and depart, and

.,77

to be, icit/i tfieir

^;/ac('.s',

ii

'

families, ivithdrawn out oj the said

and transported

into the places allowed by his royal highetc.,

ness during his good pleasure,

under paiii of death

alwaijs,

and

confiscation of houses

and goods; provided,

to us,

that they do not

make

it

appear

within twenty days

following, that they are become Catholics, or that they

have sold their goods

winter,
M'ith

to Catholics,"

This dreadful order

all, in

required thousands of families to leave

the dead gf

and attempt a

flight,

over snow-covered mountains,

and infirm, with only three homes in foreign countries. But before they could get away the Catholics were turned loose on them to slaughter the defenseless AValdenses without mercy. We give the letter written by the Waldcnses
children, sick

women and

days' notice to start to seek

directly

after

the

dreadful tragedy.

They begin

this

mournful letter by saying "Brethren and fathers:

Our

tears are

no morp tears

of water, but of blood, which not only obscure our sight,

but oppress our very hearts.

'^''

Our pen
^

pp. 3b6, 36/.

^"^o,-p

OP-

i'*?

,^

Quided by a tremblino; ^ hand, and Dur '.

minds are distracted by such unexpected alarms, that we are incapable of framing a letter which
shall correspond with our wishes, or the strangeness of out

Waldenses (Persecuted,
desolations.

381

In

this respect, therefore,

we plead your

ex-

cuse, and you woukl endeavor to collect our meaning from what we would impart to you. Whatever reports may have been circulated concerning our obstinacy in refusing to have recourse to his royal highness for a redress of our heavy grievances and molestations, you can not but know that we have never desisted from writing supplicatory letters, or presenting our humble requests, by the hands of our deputies, and that they were sent and referred, sometimes to the council de propaganda jide^^ at other times to the Marquis of Pionessa,t and that the three last times they were positively rejected, and refused so much as an audience, under the pretext that they had no credentials nor instructions which should authorize them to promise or accept, on the behalf of their respective churches, whatever it might please his highness to grant or bestow upon them. And, by the instigation and contrivance of the Koman clergy, there was secretly placed in ambush an army of six thousand men, who, animated and encouraged thereto by the personal presence and active exertions of the Marquis of Pionessa, fell suddenly and in the most violent manner upon the inhabitants of S. Giovanni and La Torre. This army, having once entered and got a footing, was soon augmented by the addition of a multitude of the neighboring inhabitants throughout all Piedmont, who, hearing that we were given up as a prey to the plunder-

that

^'

faith, or, in

council established by the court oiV\,ome for propagating the plain English, for extirpating heretics.

f This unfeeUng man seems to have sustained the station of Prime Minister in the court of the Duke of Savoy, and Gommander-in-chief
of his army.

382

Tjie

Waldensean

(Period.

ers, fell
all

upon the poor people

with,

impetuous fury.

To

those were added an incalculable

number of persons
filled

that had been outlawed, prisoners and other oflenders,

who expected thereby

their purses.

to

have saved their souls and

or*

And, the

better to effect their purposes, the

six regiments
it is

inhabitants were compelled to receive ^re

of the French army, besides some Irish, to

ported, our country

whom,

re-

was promised, with several troops of vagabond persons, under the pretext of coming into the
This great multitude, by virtue of a Rcense from the Marquis of Pionessa, instigated by the monks, and enticed and conducted by our wicked and unnatural neighbors,

valleys for fresh quarters.

attacked us with such violence on every side, especially in

Angrogna, Villare, and Bobbio, and

in a

ribly treacherous, that in an instant all

manner so horwas one entire

flee for

scene of confusion, and the inhabitants, after a fruitless

skirmish to defend themselves, were compelled to

their lives, with their wives

and children, and that not

merely the inhabitants of the plain, but those of the mountains also.

Nor was

all their diligence sufficient to pre-

vent the destruction of a very considerable number of

them

for in

they were so

many places, such as Villare and Bobbio, hemmed in on every side, the army having

Mareburg and by that means blocked up the avenue, that there remained no possibility of escape, and nothing was left for them but to be massacred and put
seized on the fort of
to death.

In one

place, they mercilessly tortured not less

fifty

than an hundred and

women and their children, chop;

ping off the heads of some, and dashing out the brains of
others against the rocks

and

in regard to those

whom

they took prisoners, from

fifteen years old

and upward,

Waldenses (Persecuted.

383

who
It
is

refused to go to mass, they hanged some, and nailed

others to the trees by the feet, with their heads

downward.

reported that they carried some persons of note pris-

oners to Turin

viz
it is

our poor brother and pastor,

M.
is

Gros, with some part of his family.

neither cattle nor provisions of

In short, there
left in

any kind

the valley

of Lucerne, and
there are

but too evident that

all is lost, since

some whole districts, especially S. Giovanni and La Torre, where the business of setting fire to our houses and churches was so dexterously managed by a Franciscan friar and a certain priest that they left not so much as one in either place unburnt. In these desolations, the mother has been bereft of her dear child, the husband of his aifectionate wife, and those who were once the richest among
us are reduced to the necessity of begging their bread,

while others

still

remain weltering in their own blood, and

life.

dejjrived of all the comforts of

in S.

And

as to the churches

Martino and other places, w^io, on all former occasions, have been a sanctuary to the persecuted, they have themselves now been summoned to quit their dwellings, and every soul of them to depart, and that instantaneously and without respite, under pain of being put to death nor
;

is

there any mercy to be expected

by any of them who are

found within the dominions of his royal highness.

The

pretext which
is,

is

alleged for justifying these horrid

are rebels against the orders of his

proceedings

that

we

highness for not having brought the whole city of Geneva

within the walls of

Mary Magdalene Church,

or, in

plainer

terms, for not having performed an utter impossibility in

departing, in a moment, from our houses and

homes

in

Bubbiana, Lucerne, Fenile, Bricheras,

La

Torre, S. Gio-

vanni, and S. Secondo, and also for having renewed our

384

The Waldensea:i Period.

repeated supplications to Ins liigliness to commiserate our

situation, ^vho, while

on the one hand he promised us to

lot,

make no

innovations in our

on the other refused us

permission to depart peaceably out of his dominions, for

which we have often entreated him in case he would not

allow us to continue and enjoy the liberty of our consciences

had always done. True it is, that the Marquis of Pionessa adduced another reason (and we have the original copy of his writing in our possession), which is, that it was his royal highness' pleasure to abase us and humble our pride for endeavoring to shroud ourselves and take sanctuary under the protection of foreign princes and States. To conclude, our beautiful and flourishing churches are utterly lost, and that without remedy, unless our God work miracles for us. Their time is come, and our measure is full. O, have pity upon the desolations of Jerusalem, and be grieved for the afllictions of Joseph. Show forth your compassions, and let your bowels yearn in beas his predecessors

half of so

many thousands

of poor souls,

who

are reduced

to a morsel of

bread for following the

Lamb

whithersoever

he goeth. We recommend our pastors, with their scattered and dispersed flocks, to your fervent Christian prayers, and rest in haste.

Your
April TJ, 1655."

brethren in the Lord.

The

foregoing

letter,

written by the Waldenses to their

homes amidst and slaughter too terrible even to be named, is but an example of the sufferings of those witnesses of Jesus. We now come to the final dispersion of the W^aldenses
friends soon after their banishment from their
cruelties

Waldenses (Persecuted.
from their valleys.
wilderness
retreat

385

for

They had borne testimony 1260 years. The flight

in

this

of the

woman,, or the retirement of the church, into the wilderness, as

fifth

the

we have seen, occurred in the early part of the The murderous decrees of the emperors of East and West caused the Novatians to commence
century.
in

their flight soon after the publication of the decrees of ban-

ishment and death,

all to retire at

A. D. 413.

It

was not possible

for

the same time.

They continued

to emi-

grate

till

the main body of the Novatians had

left Italy,

which, I think, was consummated as early as the year 425,

or 426.

And

from

this date the

to the year 1686, as the time for

1260 years will take us the woman to come forth

dogmatic in the
settle-

from her hiding-place.

am -not

These are approximate dates to the retirement of the church and her coming out of the wilderness. As bodies of the Xovatians had emigrated from
dates.

ment of

Italy,

from time

to time, prior to the general flight, prior

to the year 426, in like partially expelled

manner the AValdenses had been from the valleys of the Alps, from time
1686, by the
the

to time, prior to their final dispersion in

armies of Louis

XIV. and
;

Duke

of Savoy.

The

woman was

driven into the wilderness by the persecut-

ing wrath of the dragon

and

it

was the dreadful wrath

of the same papal dragon that expelled the AValdense?

from their places of security in the mountains. The bloody dragon had made '^ war with the remnant of her seed
throughout the

Roman

empire during the twehe laindred

and sixty years ; and while the saints had been worn out and driven from one country to another in other parts of the empire, in the valleys of Piedmont the church had a
local resting-place,

and though sorely persecuted, she had

386

The Waldensean Period.

Here^ in the

not been driven from her place of retreat.

mountain valleys, the altar-fires of the true temple of God burned undimmed ; here the ordinances of the Lord's house were faithfully administered for 1260 years; here the sound of the Gospel, faithfully preached, ^Yas heard
from the lips of the faithful under-shepherds, all this time and from here, as from a parent hive, faithful missionaries went forth on the perilous work of preaching the Gospel and forming churches throughout the known world. The AYaldensean heresy, as it was called, infected all the countries of earth through the influence of missionaries from these valleys. These ancient Waldenses in the Alps formed a kind of Gospel store-house, where the true Gospel, true ministers, and true ordinances, could be furnished
to all the world.

But, at

last,

the prophetic, fatal period

slain, or

came.

The Waldenses must be

This

expelled from

their ancient loved valleys.

final dispersion

of these

witnesses for Christ took place, according to

in the year 1686.
'

Mr. Jones,
professed

He

says:

"I

""'

r ft prefacej p. 9.

to of the churches of Piedffive the historv

mont and other

as I consider those churches to

places,

commonly

desig;

nated Waldenses and Albigenses, not of individuals

and

have been utterly dispersed

terminated

and scattered by a
subject to
its

series of persecutions, w^hich

in the year 1686, I consider

myself to have brought the

legitimate close."

After some years of comparative quiet of the Waldenses,

says

Mr. Jones:

"On

the 31st of January, 1686, they

were amazed

at the publication of

an order from the

Duke

of Savoy, forbidding his subjects the exercise of the Protestant religion

upon pain of death, and the

confiscation

of their goods; the demolition and the banishment of their

Waldenses Persecuted.
pastors.

387

All infants born from that time^ were to be

baptized and brought up in the

Roman

Catholic religion,

under the penalty of their fathers being condemned to the galleys. Their consternation was extreme." The name
of the cruel wretch

who has
is

the unenviable reputation of

being the instrument of the slaughter, and final dispersion

of these martyrs of Jesus,
Victor

Amadeus

II., the

Duke

He, being instigated by the Catholic clergy, and goaded on by King Louis XIV. of France, desoof Savoy.

Waldenses with fire and make humanity Aveep tears of blood, and move to pity the hearts of demons themselves. After the Waldenses had been brutally murdered in the valleys, driven over barren mountain snows into exile, or crowded into filthy prisons, we have the following mournful account of the miseries of the survivors
lated the peaceful valleys of the
in such a

sword

savage manner as should

of the

first

slaughter

"The

armies of France and Savoy, having inhumanly

J^'^Hl-'-y

butchered a multitude of the Waldenses,

committed more than twelve thousand of them to prison, and dispersed two thousand
of their children
their

J^^^^f

among

the Catholics; concluding that

work

w^as accomplished,

they caused

all their

property

to be confiscated.

And thus were the valleys

of Piedmont

depopulated of their ancient inhabitants, and the light of the glorious Gospel extinguished in a country where, for

many

preceding centuries,

it

had shone with resplendent

luster.

In the month of September, 1686, the Swiss cantons convened a general assembly at Aran, to deliberate on the
condition of those
state of exile in

who were either imprisoned or in a Piedmont; and they came to the resolu-

388

The Waldensean

(Period,

tion of sending deputies to

lease of all that

demand from

the

Duke

the re-

were confined, and the privilege of quit-

ting the country.

The

latter,

probably by this time glutted

with

human

carnage, signed a treaty, in consequence of

which the prisons were set open, and leave given to such as had survived, to depart peaceably, through that part of Savoy which borders upon Berne and the territory of Geneva. But a bare recital of the miseries which the prisoners had suffered during their confinement, is sufficient to sicken the heart. IMore than ten thousand persons were distributed among fourteen prisons or castles in Piedmont. They were fed for months upon bread and water the former, in which were often found lime, glass, and filth of various kinds, was so bad as scarcely to deserve the name;

while the
pools,

latter, in many instances brought from stagnant was scarcely fit for the use of cattle. Their lodging was upon bricks or filth}^ straw. The prisons Avere so

thronged that, during the heat of the summer months, they

became intolerable, and deaths were daily taking place. AYant of cleanliness necessarily engendered diseases among them; they became annoyed with vermin, which prevented their sleep either by night or day. Many women in childbearing were lost for the want of the care and comforts necessary to such a situation, and their infants shared the same fate. Such was the state of these afflicted and persecuted creatures, when the Duke of Savoy's proclamation was issued for releasing them. It was now the month of October, the ground was covered with snow and ice; the victims of cruelty were almost universally emaciated through poverty and disease, and very unfit for the projected journey. The proclamation was made at the castle of Mondovi, for ex-

Waldenses (Persec^ded.
ample, and at five o'clock the same evening
begin a march of four or five leagues!
tliey

389
were to

Before the morn-

ing more than a hundred and fifty of them sunk under the burden of their maladies and fatigues, and died. The same thing happened to the prisoners at Fossan. A company of them halted one night at the foot of Mount Cenis; when they were about to march the next morning, they pointed the officer who conducted them to a terrible tempest

upon the top of the mountain, beseeching him to allow them to stay till it had passed away. The inhuman officer,

deaf to the voice of pity, insisted on their marching,

died,

the

consequence of which was, that eighty-six of their number

and were buried

in that horrible tempest of snow.

Some merchants,

that afterward crossed the mountains,

saw the bodies of these miserable people extended on the

snow, the mothers clasping their children in their arms.
It
is

but an act of

justice,

however, to add that, in some

the different

few instances, the

officers

who conducted

troops of AValdenses out of the country treated

more humanity.
it

Their own historians admit the

them with fact, and

ought
;

to

be recorded, that some took a particular care

of them

deplorable condition,

and certainly the picture that is drawn of their is such as was well calculated to melt

the most unfeeling heart to tenderness.

The

greater part
;

of them were almost naked and without shoes

all

and they

bore such striking marks of suffering and wretchedness

that the very sight of them was enough to pierce the heai-t. Those who survived the journey, arrived at Geneva about the middle of December, but in such -an ex.hausted state^ that several expired between the two gates of the city, 'finding the end of their lives in the beginning of their liberty.' Others were so benumbed witli cold that they

390

The Woddensean
;

(Period.

had not power to speak many staggered from

wei'e unable to
lift

faintness

and

disease; Avliile others, having lost the use of their limbs,

up

their

hands

to receive the assistance

that was tendered them.

At Geneva they experienced

reception which was due to

that kind

and hospitable

them

as their fellow-creatures,

and more

especially as their persecuted Christian brethren.

They

clothed the naked, fed the hungry, succored the af-

and healed the sick. But what pen can describe the affecting scene which now took place, while they halted at Geneva for rest and refreshment, before they proceeded Those who arrived first, natuforward into Switzerland rally went out to meet those that came after, anxiously inquiring for their relations and friends, of whom they had
flicted,
!

heard nothing since the

fatal catastrophe in the valleys of

Piedmont.
child after

The
its

father inquired after his child,

;

and the
to gain

parent

the husband sought his wife, and the

life.

latter her partner in

Every one endeavored

in prison or

some

intelligence of his friend or neighbor; but as three-

fourths of
ited a

them had died

on the road,

it

exhib-

melancholy spectacle to see so

many

dissolved in

tears at the distressing

accounts they received.

Their

principal earthly comfort

now

arose from the hospitable

kindness of the people of Geneva,

who

flocked around

them and evinced such

solicitude to conduct

them

to their

own homes,

that the magistrates of the city were obliged, in

order to prevent confusion and disorder, to issue an injunc-

any from going out of the city. There was a noble emulation who should entertain the most sick, or those that were most afflicted. They received them not
tion prohibiting

merely as strangers in

distress,

but as Christian brethren,

who brought

peace and spiritual blessings into their fami-

Waldenses (Persecuted.
lies.

391

All that needed clothing were either supplied by

those that lodged them, or by the Italian Bank, the directors of which,

from

first to last,

evinced

all

the

marks of

tender compassion and of disinterested kindness.

was not only at Geneva that the Waldenses met with this kind and hospitable treatment. The cantons of Switzerland opened to them their country, and not their country only, but their hearts and affections also. The conduct of the Swiss, indeed, was so noble and disinterested throughout the whole of this distressing period, that it would be unjust to their memory to pass it over with a
it

But

slight mention.^^

It was in the memorable year 1686, that the valleys of Piedmont were ^^ depopulated of their ancient inhabitants, and the light of the glorious Gospel extinguished in a country

where, for

many preceding

centuries,

it

had shone with

re-

splendent luster

y
who have
inhabited the valleys since the

The

people

great slaughter of 1686, are not the same class of people

with the ancient witnessing Waldenses.

The

poet Milton,

who was

secretary to Oliver Cromwell, composed the fol-

lowing sonnet

ON THE LATE MASSACRE IN PIEDMONT.

Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old,

'^^hion^
p. 374,

When

all

our fathers worshiped stocks and stones,

.

Forget not. In thy book record their groans Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold Slain by the bloody Piedmontese, that rolled Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans The vales redoubled to the hills, and they To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow

392
O'er

The Waldensean
all th' Italian fields

(Period.

where still doth sway from these may grow A hundred fold, who, having learned thy way, Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

The

tripled tyrant, that

King Louis XIV. was mainly

ful slaughter

guilty of the final dread-

It was French Catholics that perpetrated such monstrous barbarities upon the helpless women and children of the Waldenses. And the French Emperor has indorsed all these cruelties of his ancestors by supporting the Pope on his throne by his army at Rome. France, as a Catholic

and dispersion of the Waldenses.

the

country, has indorsed all the outrages perpetrated against

these afflicted servants of God.

And

as

God has

declared

that he will avenge his elect that cry unto

him day and

night, all those countries which have taken part in the persecution of the " martyrs of Jesus/^ may expect, in the

day of vengeance, to drink blood; for they "are worthy." It would seem that the dreadful cup of vengeance is now
being pressed to the lips of France. ning these
lines,

As we

are

now pen-

September, 1870, the news comes over the

wires that the French armies are defeated in battle with

dreadful slaughter, and that the

is

a prisoner in the hands of the victorious

Emperor Xapoleon III. King of Prusmartyrs under the altar

sia.

The

cries of the souls of the

will not

always go unheeded.

We have found that the ancient Waldenses possessed, in an eminent degree, the Baptist peculiarities. And, therefore,
the dreadful slaughter of these servants of

the murder of the ancient Baptists,

denses.

God was really who were called Walthe time

called Baptists
close of this

They were

called "Anabaptists*' all

;

during this long period

and they were

and WaldenseSj interchangeably, toward the

False Churches.
period.
closes

393

Though

the period called the

Waldensean period

with the year 1686, yet the people who were called Waldenses were not annihilated. They were expelled from their ancient valleys ; but this only scattered them,
as the

good

seed,

among

all

the countries of Europe, from

whence they appeared, about the time of Luther, under the names of Baptists and Anabaptists, eight hundred thousand strong. It will be seen in the next chapter, that the descendants of the ancient Waldenses were called Baptists in Germany and England.

Section III. False chueches which arose during THIS PERIOD.

When we
churches.

speak of false churches, we do not design to

teach that there are no children of

God

in these false

Baptists are pleased to admit that some of

less,

God's children are to be found, more or

in all the

kingdoms and

societies of

men commonly

called churches.
all others,

Some

persons say that Baptists unchristianize

because they will not admit that the societies to Avhich

they belong are true churches.

It

must not be forgotten

that the Baptists differ from all others in the fact that

they hold that persons must be saved, or prepared for

heaven, before they are qualified to enter a Church of

Christ.

Some
all

of the people of

God

are identified with the

;

various political and benevolent societies

and must we

admit that

these are churches of Christ, because they

in

have converted persons

them

Just as certainly as there are false Christians in the

world, there are also false churches in the world.
sad truth that th^re are
It
is

many

false Christians

connected

394

The Waldenseaii
many

(Period.

with true churches, and

false churches.

real saints connected

with

But

it is

evident that, for the glory of

God and

the advancement of his cause, all false Christians

all

should be separated from the true churches, and

God's

dear children should forsake false churches, and become identified with the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
First:

The Roman Catholic Church. This is

it is

evi-

dently a false church, because

peculiar characteristics of the

wholly destitute of the

Christ.

Church of

I find

that I shall only have space to

name
It

a few leading facts

is

in regard to these false churches.

but just to admit

that the

Romish Church
it is

is

the most powerful religious

organization that has ever opposed the cause of

God

in the

world

and

the oldest and most powerful false church

on earth.

Its underlying principles of legalism

had com-

menced

their

work of moral death and ruin

in the time

of the apostles.

These principles were developed into baptismal salvation, infant baptism, and the hierarchy, in

the early part of the third century.

And

after the rejec-

tion or casting out of the corrupt elements

by the true

churches, the union of the corrupt church with the state

took place under the Emperor Constantine the Great, in

the year A. D. 312.

We

may

safely locate the origin of

the Catholic Church with the union with the state at this
time.

The

first

General Council was that of Nice, in the

title

year 325.

The blasphemous

of

^'

Universal Bishop

^'

was conferred on Boniface III., Bishop DowUng^sm.of ^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^j^^ Emperor Phocas, in the ''' ^* year A. D. 606. Thus the Bishop of Rome is made the head of the Catholic Church throughout the
world.

But

it

was not

until the year

756 that the Pope became

Church of
a temporal sovereign.

(koine.

395

King Pepin,

of France, subdued
ings i^.oj Bom., p. 16o.

the Lombards, and delivered the places

their kin^, wrested from Aistulphus, ^' to ^
\

^w

Pope Stephen.
ral sword.

From

this

time forward,

the popes have claimed both the spiritual and the tempo-

The universal spiritual dominion came from Emperor Phocas, who was a usurper and murderer, and the temporal kingdom was bestowed on the Pope by the usurper of the French throne, King Pepin. From the
the

year 756, the usurpations of the popes were outrageous in

the extreme.

kings at his pleasure.

peror
stantine

The Pope finally set up and pulled down As early as the year 710, the EmJustinian showed his great respect for Pope Conby kissing
his feet,

and beseeching

his

"Holi-

ness

pardon of his sins. It was in the year 1075 that Pope Gregory VII. excommunicated
^^

to intercede for the

the

Emperor Henry IV.,

'
:

in the following

haughty lan'^

guage " In the name of Almighty God, and by your authority,' said Gregory, alluding to the members of the council,
prohibit Henry, the sou of our
'

^2^'''^'\f^''

Emperor Henry, from govItaly;

erning the Teutonic

Christians

Kingdom and

I release

all

oath of allegiance to him; and I strictly forbid all persons from sei'ving or attending him as king J '^ And Henry finally submitted himself to the haughty Gregory by " continuing for three days, in the
their

from

month of January, barefoot and fasting the humbled emperor was admitted into the palace, and allowed the superlative honor of kissing the Pope^s toeJ^ The popes have not only claimed authority in the kingdoms of this world, by exalting themselves above kings and emperors,
cold
;

but they have even attempted to usurp the very seat and

396

The V/aldensean
God
himself.

(Period.

throne of
the

Instead of holding that Jesus

is

Head

of the church, the popes have '^Inculcated and

acted upon the pernicious and extravagant

DowlbuJsHk. of ^^^^^
Rom.,
p. 293.

^^^ ^ISJIOP or EOME IS THE SUPREME LORD OF THE U NIVERSE,

,
'

r^^^^

FUL POWER IN Church or State but what they derive FROM HIM.' '' And
the General Council at

Rome has

recently indorsed this awful blasphemy ~of the

Pope by de-

claring his INFALLIBILITY.

Instead of holding the

Word
W.

of

God

as the rule of action,

Rome

holds tradition and

Prof.

the authority of the

Pope
:

as her rule of action.

J. Walters, in his History of the

Roman

Catholic Church,

says
TJ

"

The

Catholic Church maintains

CB

1 *2

there are doctrmes oi essential import-

ance not contained in the Scriptures

for instance, the lawfulness

as,

and obligation of keeping holy

real Scriptural

the

Sunday instead of the Saturday, the

;

Sabbath

the validity of infant baptism,'' etc. This learned

Catholic historian admits that the

traditions, such as infant baptism,

Bible.

Catholics, in this respect,

;

Romish Church holds which are not in the are more candid than
admit that
fact that

Protestants

for,

while Protestants pervert the Scriptures

to try to sustain the infant rite, the Catholics

't is

only a Romish tradition.

And

in their controversies

vith Protestants, the Catholics press on

them the

they have only copied infant baptism as a tradition from

Rome.
_

an Episcopalian, and Mr. Maguire, a Catholic

''
:

Debate,

In the celebrated discussion between Mr. Pope, priest, Mr. Maffuire says " I called on my opponent to "] 1^.164:. . .1 produce proois trom e bcripture, authorizing

Church of (kome.
the baptism of infants/'
this.

397

And

as to the Bible order, the Catholic

claims a perfect right to the commandments.

But Mr. Pope was unable to do Church change laws and customs, and,
in regard to the burial in

therefore, she does not pretend to hold the Bible order of

And

tism, the learned Catholics

bapadmit that immersion was the

;

primitive apostolic practice

therefore they are,

by

their

own
It

admissions, destitute of this

is

mark

of the true church.

a well
is

known
:

fact that the doctrine of baptismal

salvation

peculiarly Catholic doctrine.

^^

Prof. Walters,
Reliqious Denom., rr o v> ^ a^
-,

their historian, says

that,

,1,1,1 by the

Catholics believe
-I.'

^ sacrament

oi baptism,

-c 1

men

are

cleansed irom sm, as well original as actual,

children of God, and heirs of the

And
ent
let

and made members of the Church of Christ, adopted kingdom of heaven.' the Council of Trent says " AVho:

ever shall affirm that baptism ^

is

indiifer.

that

'^^^^*, ^^\^n^' of Trent, p. 129.

is,

not necessary to salvation

him be

accursed.''

And

the Catholic catechism affirms

that:

"^The law

of baptism, as established
to all,

by our Lord, extends

insomuch

that,

unless they are regenerated by the grace of baptism, be

their parents Christians or infidels, they are born to eternal

misery and everlasting destruction;' Catechism,

p. 171."

Rome maybe
ofTrentsays:
,
.

considered the

"mother" of
that the
. .

all

churches

which hold this popish view of baptism. Again, the Council

"Whoever shall affirm

,.

.,

true doctrine oi the sacrament oi baptism

Ibid. p. 129.

is

not in the
tress of all

Roman Church, which

churches
:

is

the mother and mis-

let

him be accursed."
is

And we have
Church of
have
priests,

already seen that there

no equality

in the

Rome.

The

popes, cardinals, bishops,

and

398

The Waldensean

(Period.

seized the reins of authority over the poor spiritual slaves

of the church.
a

God

of

it,

And as to their Supper^ they have made and they worship that God made by the hands
They suppose that
the bread
is literally

of the priests.
flesh,

the

and bones of Jesus. They worship the bread and eat it as a means of salvation. Rome has instituted her seven sacraments, all of which are unauthorized in the Bible. And, in the last place, as to the mark of beblood,

ing persecuted,

Rome has been the great persecuting poAver.

for

She has been drunk with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus hundreds of years. She lias never been persecuted for

righteousness' sake.

Some

of her

own

sons have rebelled

;

against her and slain some of her adherents

but this

is

only the foretaste of the vengeance that will be poured out

on her in the day of her destruction.

It
is

a settled principle with the

Church of Rome
fire

to

persecute,

and

to

extend her doctrines by

it

and sword.
an accu-

At

the present time,

will be impossible to give

rate estimate of the

^oit ing
s^
IS.

numbers murdered by the Catholic emissaries. Mr. Dowling says: "From

birth of popery, in 606, to the present
it is estimated, by careful and credmore than fifty millions of the

oj ^^^^

time,
ible historians, that

human

family have been slaughtered for the crime of

heresy by popish persecutors

existence of popery.''
Dowling's His.of r, Ko Rom., 542.
p.

an
\

average of more than

forty thousand religious murders for every year of the

And Mr. Dowling quotes Scott's Church History, as follows " No compu" ... \ x. tation can reach the numbers who nave
:

i,

been put to death, in different ways, on

account of their maintaining the profession of the Gospel,

and opposing the corruptions of the Church of Rome.

The Lutheran Church.

MILLION of poor Waldenses perished
in

399

France

nine

HUNDRED THOUSAND
less

ortliodox Christians were slain in

than thirty years after the institution of the order

of Jesuits.

The Duke

of Alva boasted of having put to

death, in the Netherlands,

thirty-six thousand, by the

hand of the common executioner, during the space of a few years. The Inquisition destroyed, by various tortures, ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND within thirty years. These are a few specimens, and but a few, of those which history has recorded; but the total amount will never be known till the earth shall disclose her blood, and no more cover her slain. ^^

The

half has not been told.

Kome

has taxed her in-

genuity in the invention of instruments of torture, to

cause, if possible, the martyrs to blaspheme.

The gloomy
by the

prisons of the Inquisition w^ere frightful beyond conception.

And
and

besides all the murders committed

instigation of

Rome, the admitted

profligacy of the popes,

bishops,

priests, is too disgraceful to

mention.

Even

many

of the ancient nunneries were sinks of pollution.

And

after all the

is

known

enormities of papal

Rome, we are

told that she

the Church of

be no reasonable doubt that

is

God visible. There can the Roman Catholic Church

last

a false church.

Her

rise

was gradual, and her decline

she will be destroyed
is

has been the same way; but at

the sea.

with violence, as when a mighty mill-stone

cast into

Second:
church owes

The
its

Lutheran

Church.

This

Protestant

existence to Doctor Ilartin Luther,

who

bosom of Rome, and became a superstitious 'monk. Luther Avas a man of energy and learning. He boldly assailed some of the most absurd features of the
was reared
in the

400

The Waldensean

(Period.

Romish despotism, about

threw
It

the year 1520; and in 1524 he

off the " monastic dress/^

and married a nun.

It

is

usually stated that the Lutheran Church began in 1525.

was

in the year

1529 that the Reformers entered their

protest against the action of the

*^

German Diet

of Spires.

by which the ReMartin Luther may very properly be styled the founder and head of this church. As an organization, it did not have tTesus as its founder and head. And instead of taking the Bible as their rule of conduct, the Lutherans are governed by the
arose the

Hence

name of

Protestant/'

formers have since been known.

"Augsburg Confession/^ with the various additions in the way of articles, catechisms, etc. They have failed to observe the order of the commandments; for they put what
of infants, and Luther retained many of He taught the superstitions of the Church of Rome. "That the body and blood of Christ are e igious ^^^wi., j^(3^^r|^|iy pi-esent, under the form or emblems ot bread and Avme, as dispensed to

they term baptism before

faith, in the case

all.

do not bury in baptism at

Augsburg Confession. And, notwithstand"justification faith alone," yet he preached by ing Luther
the communicants.^^
10,

Art.

This was called con-substantiation.

nullified this doctrine

by teaching baptism

for salvation.

We have the following statements of Luther, on the efficacy

of baptism, as given by Elder T.
the Carolina Baptist
'

W.
:

Haynes, editor of " Luther, in his pre.

Carolina Baptut
vo^.

1845, p. 29.

.^.j ^^ ^^^^ Galatians, page ^ , 1 T, 24, hurls his thunderbolts alike against
^j
-,

-^

Christ and Antichrist, the Baptists and Papists

this

'

For

at

day the Papists and Anabaptists conspire together against the church in this one point (though they dissem-

TJi3 LtdJieraii Church.

401

ble in words), that the

Avorthiness of the person.

work of God dependeth upon the For thus do the Anabaptists

in the Anabaptists

teach that baptism

is

nothing, except the person do believe/

* * ^

'

Wlio seeth not here

devils,^

men

not

possessed with devils, but even devils themselves possessed

with worse
tism

(page 24).

AVhat Baptist does not

^

recognize as an article of his faith, the doctrine,

is

that bap-

nothing y except the person do believe f

'

Now, whether

the Scripture doctrine of justification by faith alone be not uprooted by Luther himself,
sideration of the candid.
is

submitted to the con-

In his Commentary on Galatians 3: 27, Luther says: ^And here also he (Paul) saith, that all they who have been baptized have put on Christ. As if he had said, ye are carried out of the law by a new birth which is wrought i7i baptism. Therefore, ye are not now any longer under the law, but ye are clothed in a new garment namely, the righteousness of Christ. Wherefore baptism is a thing of great force and efficacy,^ (vide in loco).

Of how

great force and efficacy,

may

be learned from his

Catechism, as published by the Lutheran (Tennessee)

Synod, page

3.

Secondly

What

does baptism confer or

benefit? Ans.

It effects the forgiveness of sins, delivers

from death and the devil, and confers everlasting salvation upon all who believe it, as the words and promises of God declare.^ As also from the Augsburg Confession (article 9,
of Baptism), ^concerning baptism, they teach that
it
is

necessary to salvation, and that in baptism the grace of

God

is

offered,

and that children are

to be baptized,

who,

being offered unto

the favor of God.

God

in baptism, are to be received into

They condemn

the Anabaptists,

who

prohibit the baptism of children,

and affirm that children

This important quota-

can be saved without baptism."^

402

TJie

Waldensean Period.

tion

shows that Luther, the father of the Lutheran church,

but he also

not only inherited the

tion,

Komish dogma of baptismal salvainherited the Romish spirit of persecution.

that baptism is necessary to the salvation of infants; and Luther, with the rest of the Augsburgers, con-,

He affirmed

demned the unfortunate Baptists because they affirmed that ^^ And Luther's children can be saved without baptism.'^ condemnation of the Baptists for the terrible crime of denying infant baptism, was so strong that he calls them
^^

devils themselves, possessed with worse devils J^

Thus we

find that the

Lutheran Church retained the leading feature

of Antichrist.
in the

And

instead of holding religious equality

government of the church, they are governed by a kind of spiritual aristocracy. And though they made war with their old Mother Rome, yet they combined with her
to persecute the hated Baptists.

They are not

the church

that has borne persecution through the dark ages for the

sake of Jesus Christ.

born,

The Lutheran Church

is

the first-

tions.'^

mother of "abominaHer founder, Luther, had his baby baptism, and

times, of the old

modern

ordination in

Rome.

The

Catholics pressed the Protest-

ants sorely with this difficutly.

they admitted that the Church of

of Christ visible, at least till Protestant churches. But if she was the Church of Christ,

In their embarrassment true church after the coming out of the

Rome was the

or temple of God, through all the dark ages, while riding the scarlet beast
certainly she

and drunk with the blood of the martyrs, must be the true church till now. She has

this point

become no worse after the Reformation than before. On Luther says, as reported by Mr. Haynes, that: "Wherefore, wheresoever the substance of the word and
sacraments remaineth, there
is

the holy church, although

The LutJieran
Antichrist there reign,

Chtirch.

403

who

(as the Scripture witnesseth)

sitteth not in a stable of fiends, or in a

swine

sty, or in

conq^any of
of
^

infidels,

but in the highest and holiest place

the temple of God,' 2 Thess. 2: 4.

all

namely,

Mn

Wherefore, although spiritual tyrants reign, yet there

must be a temple of God, and the same must be preserved under them. Therefore, I answer briefly to this question, that the church is universal throughout the whole world, and wheresoever the Gospel of God and the sacraments are/ '' " Where w^as This was Luther's answer to the question
:

Protestant religion antecedent to Luther?''

Thus the renowned Luther

is

driven to the painful

Church was the temple of God under the reign of "spiritual tyrants." This comment of Luther is found in his Commentary on Galatians 1:2: "Unto the churches of Galatia." But if Eome w^as the church universal and the "temj^le of God," then Luther and all the "Protestants"
necessity of taking the position that the Koraish

were cast out of the temple of God when they were excluded from the Catholics; but, on the other hand, if Rome is the "great whore" of Babylon, as the Protestants
affirm, then the Protestant churches are false churches,

having emanated from Antichrist. " Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean ?" Let the Protestants take
either horn of the dilemma,

and they are pushed

to the

wall.

As

a daughter of the old bloody " mothei^^' the

Jjutheran Church began her career by taking the carnal

killing
in

sword to convert men to the religion of Jesus by them She also took part with her bloody mother shedding the blood of Baptists. And this same Lutheran
!

Church has entered into marriage with the state in every land where she has had the opportunity. The Lutheran

404

Ike Waldensean

d^eriod.

Church can no more be the Church of Christ

old

visible

th?n

Eome

can be that church.

Third: The Episcopal Church originated as early as

the year 1530,

when Henry YIII., King of England,

Henry's rupture with the refusal to divorce the king

rebelled against the Pope.

Pope grew out of the Pope's

from his
wife,

Catharine, to marry
liimseif,

Anne

Boleyn.

Tlie
to

king divorced

and married the maid of honor

'^

his former wife;

and

in the year 1530, he forced the

Catholic clergy to proclaim himself as the

supreme head

of the Church of England^ But it was not till 1534 that the British parliament confirmed the adulterous king in
his headship of the church.

Of

the

Mr. Orchard says

" The daughter of

Church of England, Rome was born in

England, 1530, when Wareham, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the clergy of his diocese, in synod, declared

Henry YIII. the putative parent of the English harlot, and the same was legally afiiliated to him in 1534.'' And down to the present time, the kings and queens of England are regarded as the head of the church. This church has none of the marks of a true church. It, like its founder, was polluted with adultery and murder; for it was a state church from the beginning, and lias engaged in the persecution of the Baptists by imprisonments and burning. This church, like the Lutheran, was only a part of the Romish Antichrist broken off, and she retained all the leading features of Antichrist. She inherited from her mother the doctrine of baptismal salIn the Episcopal Prayer Book, we have the folvation.
Boo]: of
181.

Common

^^.^^'^"S ^'^

^ P^^'^ ^^

^^^^ s^i^^ice

connected

Prayer, pp.180,

with the baptism of infants: '^Then shall

the minister speak unto the god-fathers

and

The Episcopal Church.

god-mothers on
this wise:

405

this child here to be baptized

Dearly beloved, ye have brought ye have prayed that our ;

Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive him, to release him from sin, to sanctify him with the Holy Ghost, to give him the kingdom of heaven and everlasting life. Ye have heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ hath
promised, in his Gospel, to grant
all these

things that ye

have prayed for; which promise

surely keep

he, for his part, will

most

and perform.

Therefore, after this promise

must also faithfully, for his by you that are his sureties (until he come of age to take it upon himself) that he will renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly believe God's holy AYord, and obediently keep his commandments. The minister shall then demand of the sponsors as folChrist, this infant
part, promise

made by

lows ; the questions

severally,

to

be considered as addressed to them

to

and

the

answers

be

made accordingly : I

de-

Dost thou, in the name of this child, renounce the devil and all his Avorks, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same,

mand,

therefore.

and the

sinful desires of the flesh

so that

thou wilt not

all;

follow nor be led by

them?

Ans.

I renounce them
all

and, by God's help, will endeavor not to follow nor be

led

by them,
?

il/mis. Dost thou believe

do.

the articles

of the Christian Faith, as contained in the Apostles'

Minis. Wilt thou be baptized I That my Minis. Wilt thou, obediently keep God's holy and commandments, Ans. the same the days of thy and walk

Creed
then,

Ans.

in

this faith?

Ans.

is

desire.

will

in

all

life?

will,

by God's Then shall

that

help.
the

minister

say,
in

O Merciful
this

God,
be so

grant

the old

Adam

child

may

406

The Waldensean

(Period.

buried, that the

new man may be

sinful affections

raised

up

in

him.

Amen.
Grant that
all
all

things belonging to the Spirit

may die in him, and that may live and grow in

baptism of the child, the

him.
00
.

Amen,'^
07/1.

etc.

And

after the
is

minister
ay)

requested to say:

"We

yield
.

^Y\Qe,

er, p.

182.

hearty thanks, most merciful Father,

.

"

that
infant with the
childj

it

hath pleased thee to regenerate

to incorporate
is

this

Holy

Spirit, to receive

by adoption, and

him for thine own him into thy holy

church,'^ etc.

The

reader

referred to the entire bap-

tismal service, where he will see that the English

Church
sin

has fully copied the Romish doctrine of baptismal salvation.

They pray

for the release of the infant

from
;

and that he may be delivered from the power of the Devil in baptism and after baptism they thank God that the infant is " regenerated " and a child of God. The same God-dishonoring doctrine of baptismal salvation is also taught in the catechism for children. Here it is:"Q. Who gave you this name? A. ,. ^ Catechism, p. 7. ,, My sponsors m baptism wherein ^ i was made a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inherHow is the itor of the kingdom of heaven. ^^ Again " Q. It is made a member child made a member of Christ. A. How is it made a child of God f A. of his church. Q. What was it before It is taken into God's family. Q. Born in sin, a child of wrath." And once more this. A. ** What is it you thank God, your heavenly Father, for, Q. when you thank him that he has called you to this state I thank him that in baptism he hag of salvation ? A. made me a member of Christ, the child of God, and an
that the old die in him,

Adam may

The Episcopal Clmrch.

inheritor of heaven.'^

407
im-

Such are the

fatal dehisions

posed on the poor children that are led by these blind

guides.
It
is

altogether out of the question to suppose

is

that this church

a church of Jesus Christ.

Some, who

ought
'*

to

know
'^

better,

regard the Episcopal Church as

Avas established in

evangelical

Fourth: The Presbyter ian Church

the year 1541 by
lic,

John Calvin,

a learned

French Catho-

who

repudiated the supremacy of the Pope, and es-

tablished himself at Geneva, in Switzerland, as the head

of the Presbyterian Church.

has a

This church, like the others,

;

human founder and head

it it

is

governed by the

Westminster Confession of Faith

Bible order of the commands, for

it

does not observe the puts " baptism '^ before

it

repentance and faith;

it

does not bury in baptism;

has

a hierarchy for a church government, in Avhich one

is
its

member

placed in authority above another;

it
it

does not confine

communion

to the regenerate,

and

has bitterly perse-

cuted the Baptists for the sake of conscience.

older churches of the Reformation.

This church

holds baptismal salvation in more modified terms than the

In the Confession of
:

Faith, Larger Catechism, Question 165

" What

is

baptism f

A.

Baptism

is

a sac-

^^

^'

^oqT^'

rament of the

New

Testament, wherein

Christ hath ordained the washing with water, in the

of the Father, and of the Son, and of the

to be a sign

name Holy Ghost,

sion of sins

and seal of ingrafting into himself, of remisby his blood, and regeneration by the Spirit of adoption and resurrection unto everlasting life and whereby the parties baptized are solemnly admitted into the visible church, and enter into an open and professed engagement to be wholly and only the Lord's.'^ Again,
;

408
answer

TJie

Waldensean Period.
we have
the following
^^
:

in

to question 177,

The

sacraments of baptism and the Lord's

^^
^'

so?
sign

Supper

differ, in that,

baptism

is

to be ad-

ministered but once, with water, to be a

and seal of our regeneration and ingrafting into Christ, and that even to infants whereas the Lord's Supper is to
;

be administered often,"
terianism, baptism
is

etc.

Thus, according

to

Presby-

a ^'seal^^ of ingrafting into Christ,

of remission of sins, regeneration, adojAion, the resurrection

and
is

eternal

life,

and

this even to infants.

But

if

baptism

a seal of all these blessings, and of the covit is

enant of grace,

necessary to salvation.

We
first,

now

conclude this chapter, remarking however,

that various branches have gone out from these three

leading Protestant churches, which originated in the sixteenth century.

tions, these

And, beside

all

the other disqualifica-

churches Avant about fifteen hundred years

they

of being old enough to claim to be the church that Jesus

all came out of the Church of came from Antichrist they have all persecuted the Baptists for the sake of conscience, and they are all state churches, in every land where it is possible for them to establish themselves. And, while many good men belong to these churches, we must conclude that they are not the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ established

Rome

their ordinances

(Baptist Succession.

409

CHAPTER

XYIII.

MODERN BAPTIST PERIOD ABOUT THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS.

1.

Peculiaeities applied to the

DlSTI^S'CTIOX

Modern

Baptists.

2.

BETWEEN THE AnCIENT AND MODEEN MeN-

NONITES.

Section

I.

Peculiarities
Baptists.

applied to the mod-

ern
to the
to

BAPTISTS.

This application has already been made more especially

American

Of

course,

it is

not necessary

prove that the Baptists possess the Baptist peculiarities

but I design mainly in this section to develop the seventh

peculiarity,

true churches in

which has reference to the persecutions of the Germany and England. Mosheim, the his-

torian, testifies that the Baptists, or Anabaptists, as he calls

them, of his times, claimed the Bible as their only rule of

faith

and conduct

in

matters of religion.

But

it

is

so

generally admitted, by friends and foes, that Baptists claim

no founder but Jesus Christ, and no standard of

the Bible, that
points.
it is

faith

but

useless to multiply authorities

on these

It has been observed that the different periods lap

or, in other

on each other,
of the

words, the modern Baptists ex-

isted in various countries,

at

this name, before the close Waldensean period. The same class of people were, the same time, called Waldenses in the valleys, and Bap-

under

tists

or Anabaptists in other countries.

to us

Our enemies apply

All

the

name Anabaptists

even to the present time.

410

Modern

(Baptist (Period,

Baptists hold immersion as the only Scriptural action of

baptism.

The

Catholics

fell

into the practice of trine immersion,

or, rather, three

immersions, for baptism ; but Baptists, by

whatever name

called,

have ever held the apostolic practice

of "one baptism."

Catholics also practiced nude baptism

in their early history.

Some modern Pedobaptists have

been so

silly

as to reproach Baptists on account of the

" naked " baptisms of the Catholics; but they only exposed
the nakedness of their own "mother" church. The Catholics practice the " baptism" of abortives. In their pious zeal
to save infants

from hell, the E-omish Church gives " bap" tism to unborn infants, in cases where death is expected.
is

This

the present custom in this country.

all

But

it

is

unnecessary to reproach
nations

Pedobaptists wdth such abomi-

though

this is as Scriptural as

any other baby

nor adults

baptism.

Baptists

neither

baptize

infants
faith,

without the profession of repentance,

tion,

and regenera-

on the part of the candidate.

Luther anathematized the Baptists of his times because

they taught thai infants could be saved without baptism.
Zuingle, the co-reformer with Luther and Calvin,

had

several public debates with the Baptists, at Zurich, in 1525,

on infant baptism.

The Zuinglians claimed

the victory,

and proceeded

to

put the Baptists in prison.

The

ruling

magistrates of the city give the following hard report of

these Baptists, as reported in the Martyrology

"
,.

Ye
,

doubtless know, and have heard from

^

many
i
i

per-

Martyrology, ^."d.

sons, '

how

that for a lono; time past certain

i
i

men, w4io appear ^ to be learned, have vehemently arisen, and, without any support from'^the Holy
Scriptures,

have pretended, and preached among

simj)le

(Baptists against (Baptismal Salvation.

411

and pious men (who are otherwise well instructed in the love of God and of their neighbor, and live in peace with one another^) and without the permission and consent of the church have proclaimed, that infant baptism is not of God, but has sprung from the Devil, and, therefore, ought not to be practiced. They have also invented a re-baptism and many men, unlearned in the holy Scripture, taken wi*ch their vain talk and so far persuaded, have received this
re-baptism, esteeming themselves better than other" people.

Whence have

arisen

contention, devourings, strifes against love, in places

and grown up discord, disobedience, and

lived in unanimity.

among men who formerly

Therefore

have we imprisoned, and punished for their good, some of the authors of Anabaptism and their disciples, and have
twice, at their desire, ordained conferences, or disputations,

on infant and re-baptism.^'

According to

this representation, these Baptists

regarded

and no had been slain by multitudes for rejecting the infant ceremony, and German Baptists were constantly imprisoned and punished for the same ofinfant baptism as the invention of the "Devil'';

wonder;

for their ancestors

fense.

And

after all the victories gained over the de-

spised Anabaptists in the public disputes, these enemies

admit that

"many men ''" received

still

this

re-baptism"; and

the Baptists were

ready for other public controversies.

And

if

the Pedobaptists were so successful as they pre-

tended,

why

w^as

it

necessary to imprison and punish the

These persecutions were from Protestants. These martyr Baptists were not in favor of baptismal salBaptists?
vation.
ner,

This

is

seen in the charges against

who was burned by

the Catholics in 1527.

George WagWe have

the following account of the martyrdom of this Baptist

412

Modern

(Baptist

(Period.

" George Wagner^ of Emmerick, was apprehended at

Munich,

in Bavaria,

on account of four

articles of faith.

First, that the priests can (not) forgive

o^y, pp.

men

their sins.

Secondly, he does not believe that a

man can
is

1^1^^^

j^j,^^^g

Q.Q^I

fj,Qi-^-^

heaven.

Thirdly, he does
bodily

not believe that God, or Christ,

in the bread that the priests place

upon the altar; but that it is the bread of the Lord. Fourthly, he holds not the belief that the baptism of water saves men. For these articles, because he would not retract them, was he put to great torture, so that the prince had great compassion on him, visited him in person in prison, and earnestly exhorted him, saying that he would call him his friend during his life. In like manner, the steward of the prince's household persuaded him to recant, and made him many Finally, his wife and child were brought into promises. and the prison placed before him, to move him thereby to a recantation. He suffered not himself to be moved, but said, that though his wdfe and child were indeed so dear to him, that the prince with his whole land could not purchase them from him, yet, nevertheless, he Avould not forsake the Lord his God. Many priests, and others likewise, came to him, to persuade him; but he was firm and

immovable in what God had given him to know. He was When he finally condemned to the flames and to death. into the led and was delivered over to the executioner, my confess middle of the city, he said, 'This day will I

God

to the glory of Christ Jesus, that such happiness is

afforded

me

in the sight of all the world.'

His

face

was

not pale, nor were his eyes distorted.

ing on his lips he went to the

With

a smile play-

bound him

to the ladder,

fire, where the executioner and hung a bag of gunpowder

lists

Persecuted.

413

to his neck; to

whom

he

said,

^Be

it

thus in the

the Father, of the Son, and of the

name of Holy Ghost/ And

when he had, with

cutioner,

a smiling countenance, taken leave of a

fire by the exeup his spirit the 8th day of February, in the year 1527. But the sheriff, surnamed der Eisen Reich of Landsberg, intending and wishing, while riding home from the fire, to seize others, companHe was in ions of his faith, died suddenly in the night. and was thus snatched the morning found dead in his bed, away by the wrath of God.'^ It will be noted that Wagner, among other things, was burned to death for holding '^ not the belief that the baptism of water saves men.'' Luther condemned the Bap-

Christian brother, he was thrust into the

and blessedly

offered

tists as

" devils possessed with worse devils,'' for rejecting

;

baptismal salvation

and Catholics burned them

for the

same
nor
truth.

offense.

Neither could honors, his wife and child,

induce this Baptist martyr to forsake the

life itself,

Balthazar Hubmeyer and

his w^ife were mar-

tyred in Moravia in 1528, for their Baptist principles.

Hubmeyer had been a Catholic preacher; but when he became a Baptist he was persecuted by both Papists and Protestants. The Martyrology says: "This Balthazar
Hul:>meyer published in his time a tract,

which he complains of Zuingle and his ^^'^^^^^^dV, PP. followers in these terms That they had proceeded so far as at one time to throw into a dark and miserable tower twenty persons, both men and pregnant women, widows and young females, and to pronounce this sentence upon them that thenceforward they should see
in
:

'

neither sun nor ruoon for the remainder of their lives,

and

4U
be fed
till

Modern
their days

(Baptist ^Period.

were ended with bread and water. That they, therefore, should remain in the dark tower together, both the living and the dead, surrounded with filth and putrefaction, until not a single survivor of the whole remained/ ^ Likewise, that some of them had not
taken a mouthful of bread for three days, in order that
the rest might have the more to
further writes,
'

eat,^ etc.

'

O God

'

he

what a hard,

severe, cruel sentence

upon
evil,

pious Christian people, of

whom
'

no one could speak

only that they had received water baptism in obedience to

the

command

of Christ

of these so-called reformed

O, sad deformation, say we, The Lord forgive them, and

!

be merciful to their blindly zealous souls

Hubmeyer was
tists.

for a while a

Keformcr with Zuingle,

In
his con-

but he rejected infant baptism and joined the hated BapZuingle turned persecutor against him.
troversy with Zuingle,
^

Hubmeyer
^
.

said

^'
:

Why,
.

therefore,
.

do we baptize children?
2.
.

Baptism, they
,
.

Marturology, p.

say,

IS

a mere sign.

A
.

sign truly

it is,

and a symbol
august words.
therefore
ever.
*

instituted

by Christ

in

most pregnant and

;

But

it

can not be made to apply to babes

is

infant baptism without

any authority what-

I believe and know,^ he concludes, ^ that Christendom shall not receive its rising aright, unless baptism and the Lord's Supper are brought to their original purity.'

This last quotation shows that these Baptists regarded baptism as a " symbol ;^^ they did not adopt the idea of
baptismal regeneration.
the Reformers at Zurich, and after

Hubmeyer was put in prison by many trials he escaped

fell

from the Protestants

at

Zurich and

into the

hands of

the Catholics of Moravia, and was committed to the flames;

(Baptists (Persecuted.

415

who had shared with him the sufferings of was drowned at Vienna in the river Danube. Michael Sailer and his wife were murdered by the Catholics. Satler was a Baptist preacher who descended from
and
his wife,

prison,

the Waklenses.

The

following

is

the cruel sentence against

him: "^Between the Stadtholder of his ,^ imperial majesty and Michael batler, is made known the following sentence That Michael Satler be delivered over to the executioner, who shall bring him to the place of execution and cut out his tongue he shall then throw him upon a cart, and twice tear his flesh with
:

red-hot pincers

he shall then be brought to the city gate,

after which, as a heretic,

and

shall

have

his flesh five times torn in like manner.'

;

This was accordingly done

he

was burned to ashes. Of his companions, the brethren were executed by the sword, and the sisters were drowned. His wife, after much entreaty, exhortation, and threatening had been employed, remaining immovable, was some
days after likewise drowned.
of May, anno 1527."

This took place on the 25th

certainly

the

The Baptists of mark of being

these troublous times

had

persecuted.

The

Catholic Emperor,

Charles V., issued an edict in 1535, against the Baptists. After addressing all his officers, the emperor proceeds

" In order to provide against and remedy

'

the errors and seductions which

taries

many sec-

oTfJn

^^^' ^^*

and authors of mischief, with their followers, have dared to sow and spread
our holy

in our posses-

sions, in opposition to

Christian faith, the sacra;

ments and commands of the holy church our mother wo have at various times decreed, caused to be made and proclaimed, many mandates, containing statutes, edicts, and

416

Modern

(Baptist (Period.

ordinances, together with punishments that transgressors

by such means the common might guard themselves against the aforesaid errors and abuses, and that their chief promoters and sectaries might be punished and corrected, as an example to all. And it having come to our knowledge that, notwithstanding our aforesaid mandates, many and various sectaries (even some who are denominated Anabaptists, or re-baptizers) have promoted, and are daily promoting, the spreading, sowing, and secret preaching of their said abuses and errors, in order to draw over to their false doctrine and reprobate sect a great number of men and women, in order to mislead the same, and some of them to re-baptize, to the great scandal and contempt of the sacrament of holy baptism, and of our edicts, statutes, and ordinances therefore, being desirous to provide against and remedy the same, we summon and command, that, from this time, having seen these presents, you make proclamation, in all the parts and limits of your
should suffer
:

in order that

and simple people, and

others,

jurisdiction, that all

who

are, or shall

be found to be, in-

by the accursed sect of Anabaptists, or re-baptizers, of what state or condition soever they be, their abettors, followers, and accomplices, shall suffer the forfeiture of life and estate, and shall, without any delay, be brought to the severest punishment ; that is to say, they who remain obstinate, and harden themselves in their wicked opinions and purposes, or who have seduced and re-baptized any person, or who have borne and had the name
fected

of prophets, apostles, or bishops, [shall be put to death]

by

baptizod, or

who have been reand with previous counsel have harbored any of the said Anabaptists, or re-baptizers, and
fire.

And

all

other sorts of people,

who

secretly

(Baptists Persecuted.

417

who renounce
cerely repent,

their evil purposes and opinions, and sinand are sorry for the same, [shall be put to death] with the sword, and the women in a sunken pit. And in order the better to come to the knowledge of these Anabaptists, or re-baptizers, their adherents and accom-

we expressly command all our subjects, that they make known the same, and deliver them up to the officer
plices,

of the place where they reside, or where they shall be

found.

And

if

any one know of any of

reside, the

this sect, or

be

acquainted with them, and do not deliver them up to the

officer

where they

same

shall be punished as

an

abettor, or accomplice, of such sect of re-baptizers.

And

he that delivers them up, or makes them known, shall

have a third part of the

Forbidding, moreover,

estate confiscated, so far as the

accused shall be convicted.

all

our subjects to claim or seek

any

grace, forgiveness, or reconciliation, for the said

Ana-

baptists, or re-baptizers, or to present,

on their behalf, any

not our will, nor

petitions or requests, on pain of being punished at our

pleasure.
will

It being understood, that

it is

we

permit, that any Anabaptists, or re-baptizers (be-

cause of their wicked opinions) shall be received into favor, but be punished as a

warning

to others, without

any

dissimulation, favor, or delay.

And

in order so to do, in

all things appertaining thereto, we give you, and each of you for himself, full power and special command. Given at Brussels, under our seal hereto affixed, and now printed, the 10th day of June, A. D. 1535. Under the sanction of the Emperor and his Council, and undersigned, Pens ART." This terrible- edict was issued by a Catholic emperor. But the followino- is from the Protestants:

418 " Of

Modern

(Baptist (Period.

a certain Proclamation published at Zurich AGAINST THE BAPTISTS, A. D. 1525. At this time not only the Papists, but likewise the Pe^ lormed, call Ziunglians, in the town oi Zu-

yet not (that

hands on the simple, harmless sheep of Christ; we can find) to punish them with death, or by an executioner to deprive them of life; but they put them
rich, laid

in close confinement, until (as

last followed.

may be

concluded) death at

But

in order to determine

what measures from that time

forward should be employed, the following ordinance, ac-

companied by many more words, was issued by the magistrates of that city

and it is our will, that henceforward all men, women, young men, and maidens, abstain from re-baptism, and from this time practice it no more and that they bring the young children to be baptized. For whoever shall act contrary to this public order, shall, as often as it occurs, be punished by a fine of a mark of silver and if any shall be altogether disobedient and rebellious, they shall be dealt with severely for w^e will protect the obedient, and punish the disobedient according to his deserts, without further forgiveness. Let
^

Therefore

we

ordain,*

each one act accordingly.

And
our city

all this Ave seal,

confirm by letters patent, sealed w^ith

St.

and given on

Andrew's Day, [Nov.

30,]

anno 1525.' "

After this proclamation the Protestants proceeded to

harsher measures.
^^

They published

the following in 1530

^Therefore we strictly
land^,

command
and those

all

the

12^2^^^'

Pi'-

inhabitants of our

in any-

wise allied thereto, and especially the su-

(Baptists Persecuted.

419

perior

and

inferior officers, sergeants, city officers, magis-

trates, elders

of churches, and ministers, wherever they

shall discover

to us, according to the oath

any Anabaptists, that they make it known by which they are bound

that they nowhere suifer the same, nor let

them multiply,
;

but seize them, and deliver them over to us

ing to the tenor of our laws,
tists

for,

accord-

we

will punish the

Anabapfrom giv-

with death, together with those

who

sanction or follow

them.

Whosoever

shall assist them, or abstain

ing information concerning them, neither will pursue them,

nor bring them prisoners, shall likewise be punished ac-

cording to their deserts, and without any favor, as guilty of a breach of the fidelity and the oath which they have

sworn

to the ruling powers.'

''

Volumes might be filled with the details of the sufferGerman and Dutch Baptists. They were persecuted alike by Catholics and Protestants. The decrees of the Zuinglians were as cruel as that of Charles Y. It
ings of the
will be seen that all the leading Protestant

Reformers
persecut-

embraced the leading characteristic of

ing the Baptists.
It
is

Rome by

a well

known

historic fact, that

John Calvin, the founder of Presbyterianism, procured

the death of Servetus on account of his Baptist principles.-

Concerning
'^

this

bloody deed, Mr. Robinson remarks that:

:

Calvin did not blush to say I ordered it so that a party should be found to accuse him, not denying that the action was
^

^''^'' ^^^^' ^''''

^"

drawn up by my advice.' What a glorious Reformation had been wrought in Geneva, when a proof of a man's Christianity lay in his humbly requesting the magistrates to burn a foreign gentleman over whom they had no jurisdiction, for the

honor of God and his eminent servant

420

Modern
It
is

(Baptist ^Period.

John Calvin/'

true that Servetus

was accused of
if this

denying the doctrine of the Trinity; but

were true,

Calvin had no right to burn him to death.

Even

the

mild Melancthon indorsed the burning of Servetus.

In regard
reports

to the persecutions

him

as follows

under Luther, Mr. Curtis " Luther says of false teachers

'I am very o verse to the shedding of rro^j^BaptPrin.,^^^^^^ ^Tis sufficient that they should

be banished

;
'

but he allows that they

may be

^corrected and forced at least to silence

put under
^

restraint as

madmen.'

As

to the Jews,

he thought

their

synagogues should be leveled with the ground, their houses burned, and their books even the Old Testament taken

'

from them.'

Several of the Anabaptists were also put to

for propagating their errors, con-

death by the Lutherans,

trary to the judgment of the

Landgrave of Hesse Cassel.' In the year 1659 the Baptists were banished by the
^^

Picdb/terians from Switzerland as being an

extremely
this

dangerous and wicked sect."

section,

In the conclusion of

we

^^roceed to give a few

examples of the terrible

sufferings of the Baptists in

England.

The

leading Prot-

estant authors do not conceal the bitterness of their opposition to the Baptists.

Mr. Neal, the

:

historian, complains

of the Baptists as follows

Crosby's m,.Bnrj.
^^^^rc

"

The people

of this persuasion

more exposed

to the public resent-

Jjapt.,voLI,prcf.,
P^-

ment,

because they would

hold com-

dipped.

munion with none but such as had been All," says he, " must pass under this cloud beand the
spirit prevails too generally

fore they could be received into their churches;

same narrow

among them
:

even at this day."

Mr. Crosby remarks that " Y)r. Featly,

^

writing against the Baptists of his day, says

He

could

(Baptists Persecuted.

421

hardly dip his pen in any other liquor than the juice
of
gall.'
'^

fact

that

it

These quotations develop the was "close communion ^^

to

CroshiJsHis. Eng.

J3apL,voL I,pref.,
^'
'

which caused Dr. Featly and others

dip their pens in the juice of gall
Baptists.

when writing

against the

In the time of King Edward YI., Joan Boucher, of Kent, w^as condemned as an " obstinate heretic ^' on account of her Baptist principles. The king hesitated to consign her to the flames, because this would be equal to
the cruelty of the Catholics.

But Archbishop " Cranmer

to sign the Burnett's Ms. Ref. quoted by Crosby,
^"^^-^j

was employed
warrant.

to persuade

him

He
He

argued from the law of

Moses, by which blasphemers were to be

stoned.
told the king he

P- ^9.

made

a great difference be-

tween errors in other points of divinity, and those which were directly against the apostles' creed; that these were
impieties against God,

which a prince, as being God's

against
the king's
person.

deputy, ought to punish, as the king's deputies were

obliged to punish
offenses

These reasons did rather silence than satisfy the young king, w^ho still thought it a hard thing, as in truth it Avas,
to proceed so severely in such cases
;

so he set his

the warrant with tears in his eyes, saying to

if

hand to Cranmer, that

he did wrong, since

it

was
it

in submission to his author-

ity,

he should answer for

to

God.

This struck the Arch-

bishop with
to

much

horror, so that he
;

have the sentence executed

could persuade her.

was very unwilling and both he and Ridley

jeers

took the woman, then in custody, to their houses, to see

if tfiey

But she continued, by

and
year

insolences, to carry herself so contemptuously, that at

last the sentence

was executed on her the 2d of

at

May

next

Bishop ScQrey preaching

her burning."

422

Modem

(Baptist Period.

both Cranmer and Ridley,

ing of Joan of Kent.

This account, as given by Bishop Burnett, shows that who were themselves burned

by the bloody Mary, were guilty of procuring the burnJoan was burned to death by these
often held

Ppotestant reformers for the crime of being a Baptist.

Cranmer and Ridley are

as martyrs; but
it is

up before the world

justice to observe, that while they

were

and killed others for conand when the Catholics came into authority, under Mary, they, in turn, suifered death, ^yhatever may be said of bishops Cranmer and Ridley, they were not martyrs for Jesus Christ; they were the murderers of others, and when the scale turned, they themselves were murdered by the Catholics. Mr. Crosby remarks that " In the year 1550, about the end of DeCrosbrfs His. Enq. ,, ,i the same author assures us, that 7? / OA cember, ' Bapt., vol. /, p. 80. .1 ex after many cavils m the State, an act
in power, they persecuted

science sake,

-,

,i

7-

passed for the king's general pardon, wherein the

baptists are excepted.

Ana-

*Last of

all,'

says

the Bishop,

(that

is,

of the acts

made by

this parliament)

'came the
all

king's general pardon, out of which those in the tower or

other prisons, on the account of the State, as also

baptists,

Anathe

were excepted.'

^'

Thus we have exhibited

bitterness of that hate against the Baptists

which caused them to be retained in filthy prisons when others were pardoned. And this was under the mild reign of King Edward as the head of the Episcopal Church. We have the following account, as given by Mr. Pierce, of the effort of Mr. Fox to procure the mitigation of the punishment of Joan '''Now,' says Mr. TT' n TOrosoy s His. Lng. ^ Fox, 'when bishops had the Protestant Baptists, vol. 1,1^^.
I.
1

-^

69, 60.

resolved to put her to death, a friend of

(Baptists (Persecuted.

423

Mr. John Rogers, tlie divinity-rciider in St. Paul's Churcl", came to him, earnestly desiring him to use his influence Avith the archbishop, that the poor woman's life might be spared, and other means used to prevent the spreading of her opinions, which might be done in time urg:

ing, too, that Avhile she lived, she infected

few with her

it

opinions, yet she

might bring many

it.

to think well of

by

suffering death for

He

pleaded, therefore, that

it

Avas

better she should be kept in

some

prison, without an op-

portunity of propagating her notion

among weak
and might

people,
live to

and

so she

would do no harm

to others,

repent herself.

Rogers, on the other hand, pleaded she

ought to be put to death. Well, then, says his friend, if you are resolved to put an end to her life, together with
her opinion, choose some other kind of death more agreeable to the gentleness and mercy prescribed in the Gospel,

there

being no need that such tormenting deaths

should be taken up in imitation of the Papists.

Rogers

answered, that burning alive was no cruel death, but easy

enough.
pressed so

His friend then hearing these words, which exlittle

regard to a poor creature's sufferings, an-

swered him
hapSy

Avith great

vehemence, and striking Rogers'

fast, said to

hand, Avhich before he held

it

him

Well. j)^r-

may so happen

that

you yourselves shall have your

hands Jnll of this mild burning. And so it came to pass and Rogers Avas the first man Avho AA'as burned in Queen Mary's time.' '' Thus Ave learn that the great " martyr," John Rogers, was a murderer of a Baptist. He Avas not one of the martyrs of Jesus ; for they did not persecute others

on account
of.
aa^o-

of their religious

a^Icavs.

These Protestant ministers

the Church of England were unwilling that a Baptist

424

Modern

(Baptist (Period.

man should have au easier death than burning. Such were the feelings of hatred against the members of that "sect" which was every-where spoken against.
During the reign of the bloody Mary, a Baptist, originame of David George, died in England. Speaking of him, Mr. Crosby says: "He died in the year 155G, and was honorably buried in St. Lawrence Church. Some time after his ^^ death, it was discovered that he was an Tt "^'n, vol. J, p. 64. Anabaptist; upon Avhich his house, and those of his followers, were searched, a certain number of divines and lawyers appointed to examine them, his opinions were condemned by an ordinance, his picture carried about and burnt, and his corpse taken up three years after buried and burnt, etc." It will be observed that the Church of England was Catholic or Protestant alternately, as it happened to have a Catholic or Protestant ruler on the throne; and this bloody church persecuted the Baptists, both living and dead, whether it bore the name of Catholic or Protestant. Even the "good Queen'' Elizanally from Holland, by the
''

beth found

it

necessary, in the year 1575, to persecute,

with banishment, those Baptists

Anabaj^tistical error."
ogist,
tists.

who would
all

not take a

blasphemous oath in the renunciation of

and every

And

even ^Ir. Fox, the Martyrol-

indorsed the sentence of banishment against the Bap-

In his

letter to

"Many
ros)ys js. -ng.

j.[g[^^

Queen Elizabeth, Mr. Fox says: others were condemned to exile But I sentence, in my opinion.
is

hear there
ing

one or two of these

who
letter

arc

appointed to the most severe of punishments

except your clemency prevent."

viz:

burnof

But the

John Fox, pleading

for the mitigation of their punish-

(Baptists Persecuted.

425

ment, availed nothing; and these two Anabapiids were

burned in Smithfield, by order of Queen Elizabeth.

ished and burned under the reign of Elizabeth,
is

The
stated

doctrine of the English Baptists, for which they were ban-

by Dr. Some as follows: "That the ministers of the Gospel ought to be maintained by the volunM i.z-i-i tary contributions 01 the people:
,

i.

Crosby' 8 His.

Eng.

p
to

That the

civil

power has no right

ecclesiastical

make and impose

laws

That people ought

to

have the right of choosing their

anti-christian

own

ministers:

That the high-6ommission court was an

usurpation

That those who are

hindered by the
civil

qualified to preach,

ought not

to

be

powers:

That, tho' the Lord's prayer be a rule and foundation

of prayer, yet not to be used as a form; and that no form of prayer ought to be imposed on the church

That the baptism administered

is

in the

Church of Rome
is

invalid:

That a true condition and

of England
is

discipline

essential to a

true church; and that the worship of

in

God

in the

Church

many

things defective.

He

touches but briefly on their opinion of baptizing

believers only;

and brings up the rear with saying, they

counted blasphemy for any

title

that is, as he explains it, to o^ Doctor of Divinity be called Rabbi, or Lord and Master of other men's faith.^'

man

to arrogate to himself the

From

the foregoing statement of Baptist doctrine, a3

held by the English martyrs,

the churches of
their baptism as invalid

we

find that they regarded as false churches,

Rome and England

;

and
as-

and that they regarded the

426

Modern
title
Avill

^Baptist Period.

sumption of the
phemy.''

of " Doctor of Divinity

^'

as " blas-

What our modern D.D.'s think of this? Enoch Clapham^ writing against the English Baptists and others, in the year 1608, gives the following account of their doctrine, as reported by Crosby ^^ The Anabap:

tists,

according to his account, held, that

,

Crosby^ H'ls. Enq. repentance f 88 89

i and

r laith

j.i

^ j must precede bapi

tism
true baptism was

that the baptism both of the church

of England and of the Puritans w^as invalid, and that the

among them.

He

says further, that

they complained against the term Anabaptist^ as a

of reproach unjustly cast upon them.
notice, that

name
takes

He

also

some of

this opinion

were Dutchmen, who,

it

beside the denial of infant baptism, held, that

was un-

lawful to bear arms

That Christ did not

it

receive his

human

nature of the Virgin, but brought

;

down with him

and agreed with the Roman Catholics in the doctrines of reprobation, free will, and justification. That there were others who went under this denomination that were Englishmen, to whom he does not so directly
from heaven
charge the former opinions, only the denial of their
first

baptism, and separating both from the established church,

and other Dissenters; and says, that they came out from the Brownists, and that there was a congregation of them in Holland. When the Anabaptist is asked what religion
he is of, he is made to answer o/ the true religion, commonly termed Anabaptism, from our baptizing^ When the Arian says, " I am of the mind that there is no CroshfsHis.Eng. ^^ue baptism upon earth, the Anabaptist replies, I pray thee, son, say not so; the Bapt., vol. I, pp. ^^j ^^congregation I am of can, and doth, ad^
:

minister

true

baptism.

When

an

inquirer after truth

(Baptists (Persecuted.

All

oifers,

upon

his proving

what he has
to

said, to leave his

old religion, the Anabaptist answers:

you may say^

it

if

God
grace

will give the

to

grace

leave it;

for

is

a peculiar

leave

Sodom and Egypt,

spiritually so-called.

When

the same person offers to join with them, and firmly

:

betake himself to their faith ; the Anabaptist replies

the

dew of heaven come upon you; to-morrow I will bring you into our sacred congregation, that so you may come to he
informed in the faith, hut after that, to he purely baptized.^^ It will be remembered, that this account of the English
Baptists,

was by their opponent, Enoch Clapham, and may

be considered valuable as to the matters of fact stated.

Several important points are brought to view^ in these
quotations, as folio w^s;

First:

The English Baptists

the

held, that repentance

and

faith must precede baptism.

Second: That

bapAism of the Church of England

invalid:

and of the Puritans was

Third: That the true baptism was among themselves:

Fourth: That the term Anabaptist was a name of reproach, unjustly cast upon them:
Fifth:

And

that they regarded the churches of

Rome

and England,

ivith all their

branches, as

Sodom and Egypt,

spiritually so called.

mon

In the year 1611, King James, the author of the comversion of the Bible, showed his zeal for the Episcopal Church by burning alive two men for heresy. They were burnt in Smithfield, in the year 1611. One of these

was Legate, who was accused of denying the doctrine of the Trinity and " The other was one Edward AVio-htman, a Baptist of the town ^^^ y ^ ^^- \^l^ -Sop., foZ. /, p. 108 of Burton upon Trent, who, on the 14tti
;
>

f.

428

Modern

(Baptist (Period.

day of December, was convicted of divers heresies, before the bishop of Coventry and Litchfield; and being delivered up to the secular power, was burnt at Litchfield tlie
11th of April following,'^

We

find

among

the errors for which

Wightman was

burned, he held: ^^That the baptizing of infants is an abominable custom: That the Lord's Supper and baptism
are not to be celebrated as they are
:

now

practiced in the

Church of England That Christianity is not wholly professed and preached in the Church of England, but only in part.'' And besides burning Baptists, King James seized their estates and wasted "away their lives privately It is no wonder that he constructed in nasty prisons."
rules to prevent a perfect translation of the Bible.

The hatred

against the English Baptists was so intense,

even under the Presbyterian rule, that Samuel Gates, a

See Crosby,
^op
vol. I,

Baptist preacher, was arrested in 1646, ?j ^ a ana ^ put ni irons as a murderer, because
,

a lady died a few weeks after her baptism.

was found that Anne Martin, the lady some time after her baptism than for years before. These sons of Calvin made a desperate effort to secure the execution of Gates, the Baptist preacher, as a murderer for the practice of immersion. The secret of the matter was, that Gates was aji able

But upon

trial it

who

died,

was

in better health for

preacher

"and

great disputant" against the

fiilse

claims

of Presbyterian] sm.

During the reign of Charles IT. a Baptist preacher, by the name of John James, was pulled

down from the pulpit while preaching,- by an officer of the government, and was afterward arrested and tried, under the pretense that he had spoken treason. And after he
was condemned
to death, his wife bore a petition to the

(Baptists (Persecuted.

429

king,

who

only mocked at the distress of the poor woman,

and

said, "

Oh Mr. James
!

he

is

a sweet gentleman

yea,

he shall be hanged."

Consequently, James was hanged

and quartered.

Even
sin, for

Ilichard Baxter, the author of the Saint's Kest,

charges the Baptists with murder, and nearly every other

the practice of immersion.

We

here introduce the

remarkable language of Mr.

Baxter himself, as reported

by Crosby
^^

in his history.

Crosby quotes from Baxter's

Plain Scripture Proof, p. 134:

Mr. Baxter charges the practice of dipping in baptism commandment; and forms his argument upon it thus That which is a plain breach of the sixth commandment. Thou shall nol kill, Crosby' s His. Enq. is no ordinance of God, but a most heinous Bapt., vol. Ill,
as a breach of the sixth
:

sin

but the ordinary practice of baptiz-

P'^^f<^ce, p. 83.

ing by dipping overhead in cold water, as necessary,

plain breach of the sixth

is

commandment.

Therefore,

it is

no ordinance of God, but a heinous sin. And, as Mr. Craddock, in his book of Gospel Liberty, shows, the magistrate ought to restrain it, to save the lives of his subjects;
even according to their principles, that
this is flat
w^ill

yet allow the

magistrate no power directly in matters of worship.

That

murder and no
,

better,

being ordinarily and

generally used,

is

undeniable to any understanding man.

For

that which directly tendeth to overthrow men's lives,

is

being willfully used,

adds, I

plain murder.

And
he

further, he

know

not what trick a covetous landlord can find

out, to get his tenants to die apace, that

fines

may have new

he,,

and

herriots, likelier to

encourage such practices, that

I wish, says

he

may

get

them

to turn Anabaptists.
it,

that this device be not

that countenances these men.

430

Modern

baptist (Period.

And

covetous physicians, methinks, should not be

much

against them.

Catarrhs and obstructions, which are the

two great fountains of most mortal diseases in man's body, could scarce have a more notable means to produce them where they are not, or to increase them where they are. Apoplexies, lethargies, palsies, and all comatous diseases,

would be promoted by
almost
all fevers,

it.

So would cephalalgies, hemi-

cranies, phthises, debility of the stomach, crudities,

and

dysenteries, diarrheas, cholics, iliac pas-

sions, convulsions, spasms, tremors, etc.

netic,

All hepatic, sple-

pulmonic persons, and hypochondriacs, would soon have enough of it.' " Thus we have Richard Baxter's statement of the evils
of immersion.

According to him,

it is

almost as bad as

Pandora's box, in producing

but to dispatch

human

woes.

Mr. Baxter
for nothing

concluded by saying that immersion

^^is

good

men

out of the world that are burdensome,

and to ranken church-yards." He even constructed an argument to try to prove that immersion is a " breach of
the seventh
tery. ^^

commandment
:

Tliou shall not commit adul-

But enough

this is

but one example of the intense

opposition to Baptists by those Protestants

who had
It

not
de-

the power to lay violent hands on them.

sign to introduce

was my

many

other illustrious examples of the

suiferings of the English Baptists for the cause of truth

but space forbids.

tists

Like the ancient Waldenses, the Bap-

of this period have suffered in almost every conceiv-

able way, for their attachment for the cause of Christ.

Women

have gone

to the stake

eighty-four years

down

to the tender age of fourteen,

from the advanced age of where

they were burned to ashes simply because they maintained

the doctrine of the Baptists.

Baptist ministers have spent

Mennonites.
from one
to

431

twenty years of their ministerial

lives in filthy

prisons, because of their attachment to Baptist doctrine.

Truly, they belonged to that " sect '^ every- where spoken
against.

We

have not pursued the regular order in the

application of the peculiarities to this period.

The

great

mass of the German and English Baptists maintained the Bible characteristics, even at the sacrifice of their lives.

The
lish
it is

exception to this was, the

Open-communion

Baptists

of Poland, under the leadership of Socinus, and the

Open-communion
is

Baptists, led

Engby Robert Hall. But

generally admitted, by

men

of candor, that open com-

munion

wholly inconsistent with Baptist principles.

Section

Distinction between the ancient II. AND modern mennonites.

Menno Simon, a native Frieseland, a Romish priest, renounced the Catholic Church and joined the Baptists in
His Avonderful success as a Baptist minister brought down the hatred and persecution of all Pedobaptists upon him. And from him the opponents of the Baptists began to call them Mennonites. Mosheim, the historian, in his
1536.

account of the Baptists, heads the chapter,

"The

His-

tory of the Anabaptists or Mennonites.^^

of the

The

question has lately been raised as to the Baptist character

Mennonites.

The

confusion

on

this

point has

arisen from a failure to discriminate between the original

strict

Mennonites, and the modern Mennonites.

strict Baptist.

himself was a

It is

known

that all

Menno Menno

nites profess to practice believer's baptism,

but the recenj

Mennonites are known

to practice

pouring for baptism

432

Modern

(Baptist C-'eriod.

N. Brown, the author of the Religious Encyclopedia, upon the authority of Mr. Ward, that, " The modern ^^^ Mennonites plead the authority of Menno ^ ^, lor the use oi pounng and sprnikling as But in reality it is a wide departure from the baptism. views of Menno, who says, After we have searched ever so diligently, we shall find no other baptism but dipping in water, which is acceptable to God and approved in his Word.' ^' And Mr. Benedict remarks that " Menno was,
Z.
states,
,

indeed, a distinguished teacher

Benedicfs
His.
124.

among

the

Anabaptists during the whole of his min.

Bapt,

p.

istry,

but Mosheim

^^

account ol his gather-

ing up the fragments of the society after their dispersion,

and re-organizing them upon new and better principles, is not at all sustained by anything that appears in their own relations. They were the same people in policy and practice before Menno came among them, as -afterward.^' These quotations go to prove, that Menno held the Baptist doctrine of immersion, and that he joined the Baptists, who were denominationally the same people before and after
his reception

among them.

Mosheim, the historian, settles the fact, that the original Mennonites were thorough immersionists. Speaking of the particular Baptists of England, he says "" The Bap:

tists

Mosheim' s Church rr. ^^^

i-j_i t j Eondon, and ni the adjacent towns and villages and they have departed so far
i.

ti

of the latter sect settled chiefly in

a.

from the tenets of their ancestors, that, at this day, they retain no more of the peculiar doctrines and institutions of the Mennonites, than the administration of baptism hy immersion, and the refusal of that sacrament to infants, and those of tender years and consequently they have
;

Mennonites.

433

none of those scruples relating to oaths, wars, and the functions of magistracy, which still remain among even
the mDst rational part of the Mennonites."

Here we have the testimony that the " administration of bcvtism by immersion, and the refusal of that sacrament
ites.

to

infants/^ are

'^

peculiar doctrines " of the ^lennon-

though this historian would make the impression that the English Baptists differed from the Mennonites, yet that difference had no reference to church organization or ordinances, but only related to their views con-

And

cerning oaths, bearing arms,

etc.

Mosheim
^'
:

further states

the doctrine of the Mennonites, as follows

The

opinions

entertained bv the Mennonites in general,

seemed to be derived from this leading ^^,^^^^'''fC!mrch /izs., p. 49/. and fundamental principle, that ^the kingdom of Christ established upon earth, is a visible church or community, to which the holy and the just are alone to be admitted, and which is consequently exempt from all

1111

those institutions and rules of discipline that have been

invented by

human wisdom
Avicked.^

for the correction

and

refor-

mation of the

This fanatical principle was frankly

:

avowed by the ancient Mennonites

their

more immediate

descendants, however, began to be less ingenious ; and, in

their public confessions of faith, they either disguised it

uuder ambiguous phrases, or expressed themselves as if they meant to renounce it. To renounce it entirely was,
indeed, impossible, without falling into the greatest inconsistency,

doctrines which distinguished

tian societies.

and undermining the very foundation of those them from all other Chris-

And

yet

it is

certain that the present

Men-

nonites, as they have, in

many

other respects, dej^arted

from the principles and maxims of their ancestors, have

43-i

Modern

(Baptist (Period.

also given a striking instance of defection in the case

now

before us, and have almost wholly relinquished this funda-

mental doctrine of their

Christian Church/^

sect, relating to

the nature of the

this extract we have exhibited the purity of the anMennonite doctrine concerning the church, and also the fact that the modern Mennonites have departed from

In

cient

these original principles.

A controversy originated among

This began

the Mennonites concerning church discipline.

about the middle of the sixteenth century.

other was more moderate.

One

party

favored the rigid execution of church discipline, while the

Speaking of these parties, Mosheim remarks " These two sects are, to MosMm^s Church ^j^^g ^.^^^. ^ distinguished by the de-ff?^., p.496. :J jine 4i 1 nomination ot and -gross, or, to express the distinctions in more intelligible terms, into rigid and moderate Anabaptists. The former observe, with the most religious accuracy, veneration, and precision, the ancient doctrine, discipline, and precepts, of the purer sort of Anabaptists; the latter depart much more from the primitive sentiments, manners, and institutions of their sect, and more nearly approach those of the Protestant churches. The gross or modern Anabaptists consisted, at first, of the inhabitants of a district in Xorth Holland, called Water Land and hence their whole sect received
:
'

the denomination of

Water

Landrians.'^
It

for the historian uses the

was the gross Mennonites words Anabaptists and Mennonites interchangeably that departed from their original principles of purity in doctrine and practice. The present

This needs no comment.

Mennonites,
the

who pour

for baptism, are the descendant? of

Water Landrians, and not of

the original Mennonites,

Methodism.

435

And when

it

is

now

stated that the Mennonites practice

pouring for baptism, or that they are not Baptists,

we

must understand the allusion

ants of the gross Mennonites.

to be

made

to the descend-

The departure
ples held
rians.

of

by

their

modern Mennonites from the princiancestors, is confirmed by other histo:

Isaac Backus, speaking of the Mennonites of this

country, remarks that

ites also

and are oi ^97 lilvc behavior, but they are not truly Baptists now. Their fathers were so in Luther's day, until confinement in prison brought them to pour water on the heads of the subjects, instead of immersion and what w^as then done out of necessity is now done of choice, as other
(jrermany,
;

..1

" The Mennon^

irom came r

r^

Backv Ch.

Ills.,

corruptions

are.''

Mr. Benedict acknowledges that part of the Mennonites have departed from their original custom of immersion. It is evident that some of our writers have conceded too much

when they

intimate that the original Mennonites were not

immersionists.

The

original Mennonites,

who were

called

Anabaptists, passed in shoals into England, where they are

known under the name of Baptists. And those who now retain the name Mennonites, have entirely departed from the original doctrine of Menno and the " Anabaptists." It may be proper to mention the rise of some of the
more modern
istence.

We

societies which have recently come into exhave already given an outline of the rise ol

the Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Presbyterians.

these Protestant churches

From

numerous branches put forth. All the branches of Protestantism have their denominational succession from the Church of Rome. The Methodist society came out of the Church of England. The rise

436

Modern

^Baptist Period.

of this society was peculiar.

It

was
it

for

some time only

in

society in the Episcopal Church.

The work
was

of the AVes-

kys began
people.''

as early as 1729; but

1737 that they

claimed that

"God
it

then thrust them out to raise up a holy

was not till the year 1784 that the MethChurch was formed as an independent body. And it was as late as the year 1845 that the M. E. Church South was established as a separate organization.
odist Episcopal

But

This society

is

wholly destitute of those peculiar features

which characterize the Church of Jesus Christ. It has John Wesley as its founder and head. Nathan Bangs, in his History of Methodism, says of Mr. Wesley "He was the father of Methodism in this country, "
:

His. of MetJwdism, 1 r> J

.

'<i\\d,

as such, deserves a conspicuous place

in

in that

temple which his own hands con-

tributed so effectually to erect, that his sons in the Gospel

and successors in the ministry may look to him as an example for their imitation, and be stimulated and strengthened in their work."

And

instead of the Scriptures, the

Methodist society

is

governed by the Book of Discipline,

which

is

of the South say

not even founded on the Bible; for the bishops " esteem it our duty and privilege
:

We

most earnestly
' "
*

to

recommend

to yoUy as

members

of our church, our

FoEM OF Dis-

cipline, which has been founded on the experience of a long series of years; as also on the observations and re-

marks we have made on ancient and modern

the

churches.''

Neither do the Methodists observe the Bible order of

commandments

for they place

what they term baptism

form

before repentance or faith.

Neither do they observe the

a hierarchy which gives some

religious equality taught in the Scriptures; for their

of church government

is

Methodism.
ecclesiastical authority over others.

437

And, furthermore, the

Methodists have retained in their theory the popish docThey have slightly modified trine of baptismal salvation.

Book of Common The minister is required to pray as follows: "Almighty and everlasting God, who of thy great mercy didst save Noah and his familv in the ark ^.
the baptismal service contained in the

Prayer.

,.

JJiSCfPllTlC

T). 14:-j.

from perishing by water; and also didst safely lead the children of Israel thy people through the Red Sea, figuring thereby thy holy baptism we beseech
:

thee of thine infinite mercies, that thou wilt look upon

this child: Avash hini

and

sanctify Jtim with the

Holy Ghost,
received

that

/le,

being delivered from thy wrath,

may be

into the ark of Christ's church,^' etc.

By

the examination

of this entire service, it will be found that the Methodists teach that infants are received into " Christ's holy church "

by baptism; and they

also pray that "he, being delivered

from thy wrath, may be received into the ark of Christ's church." This shows that they expect the deliverance from wrath in the act of baptism in order to membership
in the church.

The
;

majority of the membership do not

it

now
.

hold this view

but

was taught by Mr. Wesley, and

in the

is still

retained in the Discipline.

We

have the following remarkable statements

Doctrinal Tracts, published by the General Conference,

setting forth the benefits of baptism in the language of

Mr.

Wesley

himself.

Mr. Wesley

affirms that

"

By

baptism

we

are admitted into the church, and con-

made members of Christ, its ^''^{^''^ ^''""'^'^ Head." "By baptism, we who were ^by nature children of wrath,' are made the children of God." Again, Mr. Wesley says; "In the ordinary way, there
sequently

438

Modern

(Baptist ^Period,

is

no other means of entering into the church, or into

heaven.
.

Tracts, p. 250.

IS

In all ao-es, the outward baptism ^ ^i a as outward ^ the inward means ot cir-

cumcision was of the circumcision of the heart."

In

re-

gard to infant baptism, Mr. Wesley remarks:

m'ounds of
Doc. Tracts,
p. 251. it
:

"As

to the
.

if infants
,,

are guilty of ori^:ur proper subjects ot

mat

^,

sin,

then

tiiey are

baptism; seeing, in the ordinary way, they can not be

saved, unless this be washed

away by baptism.

It has

been already proved, that this original stain cleaves to

every child of
second
of this

man

and that hereby they are children of

It
is

wrath, and liable to eternal damnation.

true the

Adam
all
is

has found a remedy for

tlie

disease,

which
benefit

came upon
to

by the

oifense of the

first.

But the
which

be received through the means which he hath

appointed;

through baptism

in particular,

is

the

ordinary means which he hath appointed for that purpose;

and

to

tied himself.

which God hath tied Indeed, where

us,
it

though he

may

not have
is

can not be had, the case

different;

but extraordinary cases do not make void a

:

standing rule.

This, therefore, is our first ground Infants need to be washed from original sin; therefore, they are

proper subjects of baptism." Once more Mr. Wesley says " Lastly, if there are such inestimable benefits conferred in
Doc. Tracts,

p. 2G0.

^^^

baptism, the washino- aw^ay the

. .

original sm, the engrafting us into Christ

^i

p-uilt

of

by making us members of
us a right to
all

his church,

and thereby giving

it

the blessings of the Gospel;

follows,

that infants may, yea, ought to be, baptized,

and that none

to hinder them." These quotations from Mr. Wesley; the founder of the Methodist society, exhibit the fact, that he embraced the

ought

Camphellism.
Romish abomination of baptismal
plied
it

439 and even ap-

salvation,
is

to infants.

This doctrine

incorporated in Meth-

odism; and this error of

of Christ.

itself would

be sufficient to invali-

date the claims of the Methodist society to be a true church

Yet it is evident that there are many of the peoamong the Methodists, who have mistaken their duty concerning the Church of Christ. But beside all the
ple of God

other disqualifications, the Methodist society

is

about 1700

years too young, to be the church set up by Jesus Christ.

The Camphellite Church.

This society was established

under the leadership of Alexander Campbell in the year 1827. It has Mr. Campbell for its founder and head. In
the biographical sketch of the
life of Mr. Campbell by Mr. Segar, published with Mr. Campbell's Familiar Lectures on the Pentateuch, we have the following historic

statement:

"Alexander Campbell soon became

nently

chiefly

and promiCampbell,

known

as the recognized

new

religious

head of a movement, the purpose of

^^^^/-^

which was

to restore Primitive Christianity

in all its simplicity

has grown a people

tians

or Disciples,

and beauty. Out of this movement who choose to call themselves Chrisnow numbering not less than five

hundred thousand members in the United States.^' Thus we have the acklowledgment of the leading Carapbellites, that Alexander Campbell is the "recognized head " of this new religious movement, out of which has grown the " Christian Church.^^ For further proof that Mr. Cam})bell was the founder of this society, the reader is referred to chapter fourth of my Text-Book on Campbellism. It is evident that this society, which has Mr. Campbell
for its founder and head,
is

not the true Church of Christ; for

440

Modern

baptist (Period.
founder and head.
its

the true church has Jesus Christ for

its

The Reformation

of the nineteenth century had

founda-

tion in skepticism concerning the perpetuity of the king-

dom of Christ. It became make the impression, that

religious

necessary for Mr. Campbell to

the church had apostatized in

order that he might have a good excuse to introduce his

movement

to restore Primitive Christianity.

In

regard to the extent of the apostacy, Mr. Campbell says

that,

"A

few green spots here and there in the wastes of

Zion, a few
iruits 01 the ancient laith, '
.

Mill. Harbinger, TT 7 rr oTo Vol. V, p. 372.

-,

nn

individuals x ^ -^i

exhibiting
i
-

the

i need not be adi

duced in proof that the whole body is not The lepfull of wounds and bruises and putrifying sores. rosy of the apostacy has spread over all Christendom,
Catholic and Protestant.^^

If this statement of the Re-

former
be true,

is

correct, then the Savior

gates of hell have prevailed against his church.

if it

was mistaken, for the Let God

makes every man a

liar.

The members

of

this society are

much

divided as to the most appropriate

name

to call themselves as a church.

^'''

In some sections
call

they call themselves

Disciples,^^

but in others they

themselves the

them

Christian Church,^^ and of late, some of are contending for the name " Church of God.^^ Vie
'^

are informed that a committee has recently been appointed

in the State of

Kentucky,

to try, if possible, to settle the

It would seem that they depend much on the name to establish their claims to be the Church of Christ! These modern Disciples profess to

controversy about their name.

take the Bible as their rule of conduct, but

when brought

to the test, they set aside almost half of the

New Testament, as not being applicable to the present dispensation. They think it WTong to use the model prayer, called " the

CampbellisTn.

441

Lord's Prayer/' which was given by Jesus Christ to his

disciples.

And

the numerous instances of the pardon of

sins

through

faith,

they set aside as not being examples of

the present plan of salvation.

aside

They

really

seem

to set

and nullify

all

of the

New Testament which comes in

the whole of the

conflict

with Mr. Campbell's interpretation of the Scrip-

tures.

They do not even take

New Testa-

ment

as their rule of conduct.

the order of the

They have also inverted commandments of Christ, by inverting the

order of repentance and faith, and holding open communion.

And

instead of burying in baptism those

who

are dead to

or freed from sin, they baptize the sinner in order to his

pardon.

They

baptize a child of the Devil, in order to

make him
says
:

a child of God.

On

this point,

Mr. Campbell

"

When

a person has no sins to confess, I do not

jj^fm jjarh.
Series.,

baptize him.

Baptism can neither be the seeking, nor answer of a good conscience to the man that has no sins from which to
be cleansed."
doctrine, the popish

New
IV,

Vol.

P-

20.

The Campbellites advocate as their leading dogma of baptismal salvation. Mr.

'^As regeneration
is'
^

Campbell
agahi,'

states his doctrine thus:

taught to be equivalent to

being born
ChrkUan
System,

and understood
this

to

be of the same
for if

import with a new birth, w^e shall exam-

immersion be equivalent to regeneration, and regeneration be of the same import with being born again, then being born again and being immersed are the same thing, for this plain reason: that
ine
it

under

metaphor;

things which are equal to the same thing, are equal to one
another."

Again, Mr. Campbell says: "Hence, neither

praying, singing, -reading, repenting, sor- Mill Har., Extra, rowing, resolving, nor waiting to be better. No. I, p. 35.

442

Modern
act;

(Baptist

^Period.

was the converting

turning to God.^^

immersion alone was that act of

volume might be filled with quotations to the same from the leading Reformers. For the full discussion of the claims of this new sect, which is now about 43 years old, the reader is referred to the Text-Book on Campbellism. This society is about 1800 years too young to be the church set up by Jesus Christ; and it is also wholly destitute of the peculiar characteristics of the kingdom of heaven. There are many other societies of recent origin, claiming to be branches of the Church of Christ, which we
effect,

have not space to examine.

are

And

several

new

societies

now

in process of organization,

which will soon be

yet learn that

contending for the privileges and authority of veritable

churches of Jesus Christ.

The world must

all the societies established in

uninspired wisdom since the

time of Christ on earth, have no just claims whatever to be

regarded as either the kingdom of Christ or any part of

it.

(kise of

Churchjs.

443

CHAPTER

XIX.

COXCLUSION.
In the foregoing work we found, tliat the objections urged against the antiquity of the Baptists as a denominaNo point in history tion are wholly without foundation.
has yet been found, this side of the days of Jesus Christ

on earth, where the Baptist denomination had

its origin.

Notwithstanding

all

the efforts of bitter foes, no break has

yet been discovered in the chain of Baptist succession.

There has been no point of time since the apostolic age, when it can be said, in truth, there were no witnesses for Christ on earth holding the faith and practice of Baptists.

Every other professed Christian denomination, either human origin in modern times, or claims its sucBut as the Romish cession through the Romish apostacy.
admits a
succession
is

the succession of Antichrist, therefore those

churches whose history

is identified with the Church of Rome, can lay no claim whatever to the true succession. The Baptists are the only people on earth who claim a

from the apostolic age, independent of the Church of Rome; and as Jesus Christ has a church against which the gates of hell have never prevailed, which has existed independent of the Romish hierarchy, therefore the
succession

Baptists are really the only claimants to this succession.

All others, by their

own acknowledgments, have no

just

claims to be the church established by Jesiis Christ himself,

444

Conclusion.
has been perpetuated to the present time.

wliicli
it

We take

for granted, that every

denomination

is

competent to

its own history. Even the most depraved denominations except the Catholics have sufficient candor and honesty to give a correct account of their

give the leading facts of

own origin. The Romish Church herself, confesses that many of her rites and ceremonies have been introduced
since the apostolic age.

She acknowledges that she has changed the ordinances of Jesus Christ on the supposed
authority of the keys.

Even Rome
claims
its

herself with her pres-

ent rites and ceremonies does not claim an apostolic origin.

The Lutheran Church

about the year 1525.

origin from

It has

Martin Luther, no succession beyond the

sixteenth century, unless

it was the Romish succession. though the Church of England claims apostolic succession through Rome herself, yet she is compelled to look

And
to

King Henry YIIL, about

the year 1530, for her origin

separate from the

Romish jurisdiction. The Presbyterian Church boldly claims the " godly-learned'^ man, John Calits

vin, as

founder. Its succession extends no further back in

history than the year 1541.

The various branches

of Pres-

more recent date. The Methodist Church glories in John Wesley as her founder and head. She can not go beyond the year 1729, for the germ of that system of ecclesiasticism known as Methodism. And it was not until the year 1784 that Metholism was rent off from the Episcopal Church. The Cumberland Presbyterian Church claims its origin from the fouith day of February, 1810. It has Messrs. Ewing, King, and McAdow, The Campbellite society, which makes as its founders. higher pretensions than all the modern sects combined, boast of Alexander Campbell, of Bethany, Virginia, as the
byterianism are of
still

(kise of

Churches.

445

head of their religious movement. They claim the year 1827 as the elate of their origin as an organized ecclesiastical body.

After

all

their claims to be the Christian

Church, and their noise about Pentecost, they are forced to

admit the humiliating

are not yet
fifty

fact,

that as an organization, they

fall

years old; and that they

short of the

day of Pentecost nearly 1800 years.

boldly claim Jesus Christ as their

But the Baptists founder and head, and

if

a continued succession through succeeding ages from the

apostles to the present time.

And

the Baptists do not

origin, they are the

give a correct statement of their

own

only denomination outside of the Church of honest to give the truth of their
Baptists are too dishonest to
origin, then other
tell

Pome

too dis-

own

history.

But

if

the truth as to their

denominations ought not to desire relig-

ious correspondence with

them but
;

if their

claims are true,

then they are the only people

succession

who

possess the true church

All

who have

not embraced skeptical views in

regard to the perpetuity of the kingdom of Christ, admit

that that

kingdom has been preserved

is

to the present time;

therefore, there

now on
all

earth one church, or kingdom,

which has continued

apostolic age

the time in existence, from the

down

to the present;

but as

all

other churches,

except the Baptist Church, are

in uniiispired

known

to

have originated

fore the Baptist

wisdom, long since the apostolic age, thereChurch has continued from the apostolic

age to the present time.

As

stated at the beginning of this work, no Baptist has

ever attempted to locate the origin of the Baptist denomination since the days of Christ and the apostles.
ter first, w^e

In chap-

have the testimony of Benedict the historian, Dr. Howell, and J. L. Waller, in favor of Baptist succes-

44G

Conclusion.

sion; all claiming the perpetuity of the church from the

time of Jesus Christ.

^'I

Mr. Orchard, the

historian, says;

have demonstrated, so far as human testimony is allowed to prove any fact, that The Bap^^^^

Orchard's Bapt

Hw., vol. 11,1^.11.

CnuRCH,
.

as the

Church of

Christ, ^

has existed from the day of Pentecost to

the privileged period."

Mr. Benedict
Ben, His. Bapt,

says, that
fullest

" The Welsh Baptists have the

that

confidence
i

their

sentiments
j.

'

ii in their mountainous nave always Jived retreats, from the apostolic age to the presj-i,

ent time, although the people were not always congregated

in

churches.

Their country, in their estimation, was

in times of universal darkness

another Piedmont, where the witnesses for the truth found

shelter

and concealment

and

superstition.''

I had designed to furnish a sketch of the

history,

Welsh Baptist

showing their claims to an existence in their mountain retreats up to the apostolic times, but my space forbids.

This universal claim of the Welsh Baptists to

church succession, should have great weight as evidence

on this question. No living historian, whether friend or foe, can find the origin of the Welsh Baptists this side of
the days of the apostles.

Again, we have the testimony

'^
:

of the American Baptist Publication Society, indorsing the

language of Mr. Pengilly, as follows

apis
p. 82.

Our

principles are

as old as Christianity.

We

acknowledge
enthusiasts

anua
,

^^ founder but Christ.

With

in Germany, or in any age or country, wc have no connection, and our forefathers never had. Enthusiast may be designated by the same name, but that proves

nothing.

Persons holding our distinctive principles

i.

c,

(kise of

Churches.

441

the baptism of believers only

the Christian era.

have appeared
;

in all ages of

From
is

Christ to nearly the end of the

second century, there were

no others

at least, if there

were any, their history

a blank."

On

Baptist succession, Dr.

Peck remarks

that,

"Bap-

tists in

every age, from the apostles, retrue to the

mamed
came

kingdom which Christ ^

p. 197.

^^t

to establish."

Speaking of the conversion of Menno, Mr. Belcher says: "This great change took place in 1535; it endued Menno with a martyr spirit. Now, with a peniReligious Denom., .1 -xi rii ,1 u tent heart, he was buried with Christ by ^^..^ baptism, and joined the martyr church of the New Testament that church more ancient than
,
.

i.

Rome
now

persecuted in every age, because so pure.

It is

too late in the

^

day
Sect,'

to

confound this primitive people

proof of pitiable ignorance,
'If the truth of relig-

with the

Munster

because both were called by their

enemies, ^ Anabaptists.'

This

is

licarned Romanists
ion,'

knew

better.

said Cardinal Hosius, President of the Council of

in 1555,

Trent

'were to be judged of by the readiness and

cheerfulness which a

man

of any sect shows in suffering,

then the opinions and persuasions of no sect can be truer

or surer than those of the Anabaptists (Baptists);
since

there have been none for these 1200 years past that have

been more grievously punished.'

fessed, in 1460,

Yet Pope Pius

II. con-

'Neither the decress of popes, nor armies

'All sorts of people/
refor
still

of Christians could extirpate them.'

said Seisselius,

Archbishop of Turin in 1470, 'have peatedly endeavored, but in vain, to root them out
;

even yet, contrary to the opinion of

all

men, they

remain conquerors, or at

least

wholly invincible.'

Such

448

Conclusion.

the concessions of illustrious Romanists to the long, unbroken line of our meek martyr witnesses." Thus we have the admissions of Catholics themselves, that they have never been able to succeed in breaking the line of Baptist succession. Time would fail to introduce the testimony of all the Baptist writers who claim the church succession from the apostolic age. We conclude the list
jire

with the testimony of J. Newton Brown, the learned author

of the Religious Encyclopedia, as follows:

"The

Baptists

have no
^y^^)
K.^

difficulty

whatever, in tracing up
their churches to the

their principles

and

apostolic age.

It has been often said

by

our enemies, that we originated in the German city of Mun-

Lamentable must be the weakness and ignorance of such an assertion, come from whom it may. It were easy to cite eminent Pedobaptist historians to refute especially Linborch and Mosheim, of the this calumny Again, Mr. BroAvn remarks, that, " The last century." Baptists though for the most part of the
ster, in

1534.

Bapm Martyrs,
Christians

^^^^^,

^^

^^^^ ^^^^^^^^ ^,.^j^

.^^

^^.^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^

unknown

to fame, as
all

have

yet, in

almost

were the primitive ages, had of their num-

ber,

men
it

of the most eminent learning and ability,

who
call

died as martyrs to the faith.

indeed,

From

the time of Novatian,

has been customary with their adversaries to

the whole body by the

name of its most distinguished leader, as if they were a new sect, of which he was the originator. Thus the Cathari were called Novatians
ists

then Paulicians

then
;

then Petrobrusians, Henricians, JosephWaldenses,

Lollards,

Arnoldists,

MennonEng-

ites

nor w^ere they ever permitted to bear their present

Baptists until after their legal toleration in

name of

(Prophets on Succession.

449
seen, belong

land,

ill

1688.

Yet

to them, as

we have

all the inspired writers of the

of

our Christian literature

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John,

the whole Baptist family look

New Testamentthe sources

James, Jude, Peter, and Paul himself, the accomplished

pupil of Gamaliel.'^

In

fact,

to Jesus Christ as their founder

and head, and claim the

the

succession or perpetuity of the church from

tolic

apos-

age to the present time.

The

host of Baptist martyrs

in past ages,

who

sealed their testimony with their blood,

claim the succession, or perpetuity of the kingdom of

The ancient prophets themselves, while moved with prophetic inspiration, pointed out in glowing strains the setting up and perpetuity of the kingdom of God. They said, ^^ In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which ^ ^ Daniel 2: 44. shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom
Jesus Christ.
.

shall not be

left to

other

i:)eople,

but

it

shall break in pieces

and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever J' And the same holy prophets were permitted to see the final triumphs of the church, and her glorious reign over the kingdoms of the earth; they say: "And it shall come
to pass in the last days, that the mountain ^ ^ Isaiah 2: 2-4. 11-1 ! PI T 1111 01 the Liord s house shall be established in

HI
all

the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the

hills;

and

nations shall flow unto

it.

And many

peo-

ple shall go

and

say.

Come

ye,

and

let

us go up to the

mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in hid
paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Ijord from Jerusalem.
the nations, and shall rebuke

And
many

he shall judge among

;

people

and they shall

beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into

450
pruning hooks
Christ

Conclusion.
nation shall not
lift up sword against nawar any more.'^ And Jesus

tion, neither shall

they learn
is

who was dead and

alive forevermore, taught the

succession, or perpetuity of the church

this rock I Avill build

when he said,

'^

Upon
it.

my
.

church
-1

and the
.

iratthewlQ:

18.

gates 01 hell shall not prevail aganist

a^

^^

And He pointed
sion,

out the same doctrine of church succes-

when he gave the solemn emblems of his broken body and shed blood, to be observed in his kingdom until his second coming; and the Savior promises to be with

church always, even until the end of the world. We, as Baptists, believe with the apostle Paul, that wg have received " a kino;dom that can not be "^ mhrews 12: 28. . ., ,. glorious loundation; and moved irom its though we are now regarded as a "sect,^' and every-where
his
.
-,

spoken against, we believe that the time

the
,

is

not far distant,

when "The kingdom and dominion, and

Daniel 7: 27.

the greatness of
i

kino^dom under the whole heaven,

,,
,
. ,

shall be given to the people ot the saints

of the Most High, whose

kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." And though the Bride of Christ is yet despised and rejected of men, yet she will, at last, "Look forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners," and in her joyful marriage-day will be " Heard as it were the voice of a pTcat multitude, and as the voice of many ^ ^ ^ Bev. 19: 6-8. ..,,,, Avaters, and as [ the voice oi mighty thun.

"^

derings, saying. Alleluia; for the

reigneth.

him

for

Lord God omnipotent Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his
herself ready."

wife hath

made

Church

Succession.

451

APPENDIX.
BY

PROF. A.

S.
OP

WORRELL,

LEXINGTON, KY.
The church question is destined, sooner or later, to shake
existing ecclesiasticisms to their foundations.

The

truly
is ;

converted

man
this

wishes to

know what

the true church

is

and when

important information

obtained, he will

be disposed to seek membership therein.

tory of the

Could the

his-

Church of Christ be brought

Christendom, would, in

fairly before the

Christian world, the truly pious and devoted

numerous
port.

sects of

among the many instances,

leave their present moorings, and seek a place within her

In tracing the history of existing denominations backward, we find several of them falling out before we travel

and when we reach the beginning we find only two leading denominations the Baptist and the Catholic. These two .opposing organizations the one persecuted, and the other jyersccuting run backward into the fourth, or possibly the third century anno domini. They are the only parties who have any just claims for church honors, if it be ada century in the past
;

of the sixteenth century,

452

Appendix.

mitted that the Church of Christ has had a continuous existence since its organization. The " Eeformed Church''

(Campbellite)

is

about eighteen centuries too young; the

Metliodist Episcopal and Protestant Methodist,

seventeen centuries
zations, at
Ic^fit

all

fifteen

more than modern Pedobaptist organicenturies, to assume the honor of

other

being the Church of Christ.

greatly Avanting in time.

If in nothing

else,

they arc

All Pedobaptist churches must

trace their history, directly or indirectly, to the Catholic

Church.
*^

They have Catholic baptism,

so-(;alled.

The

mode"

of their baptism rests only upon Catholic authorthe only possible succession which they can
is

ity.

And

claim for their baptism (sprinkling or pouring),

Catholicism.

through
those

If the Catholic Church

falls

short of the
all

proper age, by two or three centuries, of course

sects,

deriving their origin from her, must, even if they

should

make good

their claims since the Reformation, fall

short by the same period.

AYe see no possible ground which modern Pedobaptists can urge, in support of their
claims, to be the true churches of Christ; for, if the Catholic

was the true church at the time of the Ileformation, none of these anathematized schisms could, with reason,
lay claim to that honor
;

and

if

the Catholic was not the

true church, those coming out of her, could not be (since

"water can not

rise

above
i\\Q.

its

level"); in either event,

Protestant claims to be

church, are null and void.

The
Bap-

contest for church honors, therefore, lies between the

tists

and Catholics.

And

it

has already been said that

the Catholics can not trace their history further back than

about the third century.

apostles

Indeed, we have the New Testament history of many of the churches founded by the

and early Christians; and,

in that history, noth-

Church
ing
is

Siiccczsion.

453

more patent than that there was no Catholic Church

then in existence.

does the sacred record know anything of Catholicism except as " the mystery of iniquity/' " Babylon/' " the mother of harlots/' etc. Catholicism is

Nor

the great counterfeit church

the organization of Satan

and

devised with special reference to the overthrow of the

Church of

Christ,
!

and

for the purpose of deluding

ruining souls

Her own

vile superstitions, her manifest

idolatry, her corrupt faith, her fiendish spirit of persecution, all

proclaim her origin, as not from heaven, but from

!

the bottomless pit

If,

therefore, the Baptists

have no
if

other rival, in the historical contest, the case need not be

argued further

the Baptists are the Church of Christ,

he has any such organization on earth.

Here it is proper to remark, that the existence of the Church of Christ does not dci)end, in any sense, upon her
being able to prove, from uninspired historical records, her
continued existence in the past. Christ built his church before he ascended to glory,

of hell should not prevail against

build 9

and he promised that '^ the gates it." Now, what did he Something already in existence ? This must have
case, if

been the
ers.

he referred merely to his spiritual followthese before the declaration, that

He

had numbers of

he Svould build the church, was made.

Besides, the very

term

was to be a structure of some an organization composed of different individual sort elements. The elect, in the aggregate, could not have been meant by the Savior for these had already been chosen before the foundation of the world and he has never, to this day, organized them into a church. They will form a glorious church in the morning of the resurrection. AVhen, therefore, the Savior said he would build his
build
it

proves that
;

454

Appendix.

church, he manifestly had reference to a congregation of

such as the church at Jerusalem, the crue worshipers church at Ephesus, etc. an organization whose duty it would be to proclaim the Word of Life to a lost world,

observe and perpetuate the ordinances in their purity.

Now,

it

smacks of
first

infidelity to

doubt that such an organexisted somewhere,

ization or

company of Christians has

it is

ever since the

church was established.

its first

And

to sup-

pose, that before

reasonable to believe that the church

establishment, unless
is

has existed in
it

all

ages since

can

first

be established by historical proof,

to discredit
infi-

the statement of Christ, and open the flood-gates of

delity.

It should be

remembered that very few of the

have ever been recorded. Many instiand flourishing, may have existed, and yet there may have been no historian to take notice of them. Can we say, that, because any particular event is not reThose who will not believe corded, it never happened ?
facts of past ages

tutions, large

that the church has existed continuously since

zation, virtually assume, as
it

its

organi-

seems to

us, that

everything
!

important has been recorded in each successive age

monstrous assumption, indeed

We

urge, therefore, that

we should
we should
true,

believe that the church has

existence, even if history said not one

had a continuous word about it, since

;

believe

God

rather than

man

yea, ^^Let

God

and every man a liar.^' History can not make be the words of the Almighty more credible It should be remembered also, that, situated as the church was for more than a thousand years, she was in a very poor condition to write her own history. " Driven into the wilderness/^ and forced to conceal her existence, for a great portion of the time, from her deadly persecu-

Church
tors

Succession.

455

of earth
it

poor, wretched, wandering about dens and caves Inwrite anything. disposed she her have would have been wrong suicidal deed,
in
felt little

to

for

to

furnished the names and doings of those whose lives were eagerly sought by th^ir blood-thirsty accusers and persecutors. To expect that they would have given anything
like a full record of their works,
is

wholly unreasonable.
is

The absence
rally expect.

of a connected history of the church,

all

what

a reasonable being, under

circumstances, would natu-

The
in the

history of the church, therefore, has been written,

main

so

far as

it

has been written at

enemies.

The bloody

statutes

all by her and decrees of kings and

rulers, instigated

by Satanic malice,

constitute the princi-

pal portion of the written history of the church during

much of the jieriod of persecution but for such records, we would know but little of her existence (except as we
;

believe the Divine promise in the absence of all other

proof), for one thousand years previous to the Reformation.

It

may not

be amiss to state that a " church, scatis

tered^'

by persecution,
forfeit,

not necessarily annihilated.

The
as-

church at Jerusalem was persecuted and scattered, yet they

did not

by being thus maltreated, the right of

;

sembling together Avhenever and wherever they could

and

when they did

ship, they

so assemble for the purpose of divine worwere just as truly the church as they were befor^j they were scattered. Apply this principle generally, and we have little difficulty, in a historical point of ^'iew, ii)

affirming the continuous existence of the church.

It
is

generally agreed that there were faithful fjlloworw

all

of Christ during
there were such,

the period of persecution; now,

if

whenever they came together,

in the Spirit

456

Appendix.

of Christ, to observe the ordinances, or otherwise engage

:n the worship of
this

God,

there the

church existed.

Of course

view of the church excludes some notions which we are wont to regard as inseparable from her existence, such

and a regular time for meeting. A having a regular time and place for meeting, is not necessary, under all circumstances, to the existence of a church. These are, indeed, great convenas a house for worship
close organization,

iences

but where adverse circumstances, over wliich

it

tlie

church has no control, disperse and make

the

necessary for

meet only occasionally and at irregular inand at night who will say that such a company of faithful followers of the Lamb are not a church ?
to

members

tervals

in caves

Would
ship?

a century of such oppression crush out the

it

life

of

a church, provided

assemble occasionally for divine wor-

Manifestly not.

In

this

way, we doubt not, the

Church of Christ was perpetuated, for long intervals, and

perhaps centuries, during the uninterrupted sway of the

man

of

sin.

All the facts of history

mitted to us

so far as they

have been trans-

go to show that the church, in accordance wdth the preceding view, has existed continuously from Supthe days of its organization up to the present time.
pose, however, that

some one should assume the opposite

view, and urge that the church became extinct under the
persecutions of Antichrist, he will then be forced to adopt

one of the following positions

That the Savior's promor, 2. That the Cathise, to perpetuate the church, failed or, 3. That the promise of the olic is the true church Savior had no reference to the church as an organized body. To adopt the first view, is to become an open inand to take the second, is to side with Antichrist fidel
:

1.

Church
to choose the third,
is

Succession.

.457

to

assume a heavier burden than

to

admit, without perfect historical proof, the perpetuity of

the church as at
1.
first

organized.
this latter view,

The one who adopts

must prove,

by undoubted testimony, that the Savior did not use the word "church'' in liis promise to perpetuate it, in any such If he assumes sense as to include the idea of an assembly.
that
it

ful followers living at

means simply ^Hhe electj^ or the aggregate of faithany particular period", he will, beabove suggested, (2) be forced
to at-

sides the difficulty

tach a very fanciful

text in

meaning

to the

word
!

'^

build,

in the

which the Savior says, "I will build ray church." '' " Build " " the what ? " Build " " the elect '' aggregate of faithful followers living at any particular period " We should dread the onus of such an interpretation How much more simple is it to believe that Christ did build his church models of which were multii)licd by the apostles and Christians who succeeded them in all
" Build
! !

ages

that he has preserved

existence ever since;
!

it

in all the essential

it

elements

of

its

and hence, that

exists at the

present time
in

This
is

is

our firm opinion

an opinion which,
:

our judgment,

beset with fewer difficulties than any

other.

Ecclesiastical history (we refer not to the history

is

of Catholicism),
1.

particularly valuable

because,

A knowledge
all

of

it

will tend to bring together, in

one

body,

many of whom now occupy places in organizations hostile to the true church. With their present amount of ecclesiastical knowledge, many conthe followers of Christ, verted persons regard the

numerous

so-called "evangel-

ical

churches" as co-ordinate branches of the Church of

in their midst,

Christ, whereas, if they could

on earth, and

know that there is a church whose history connects back

458

Appendix.

with the apostolic churches, and which was " built " by
Christ himself, they would be disposed to seek places in it, and contribute their part toward furthering its interests. 2. Another advantage would result from the prevaIt lence of a correct historical knowledge of the church would serve to expose the false claims of other rival organizations, and thus cripple their influence, and break the spell which they have imposed upon millions of earth's inhabitants, many of whom are the children of God. 3. Finally, it would cause the members of the church to prize their privileges more highly, love her "sacred courts '^ more ardently, and labor more zealously to promote her prosperity. In the present work the author does not profess to in:

troduce things wholly

unknown

heretofore

but he has

sought and obtained materials from various reliable sources,

compiled and arranged them in a convenient form for refer-

That his collations shed light upon the subject of "church succession," in a historical point of view, will, we The work, which has cost the think, be readily confessed. author no little labor, will serve the cause of truth, and fill an important place in our popular denominational literature. The author deserves the thanks of the great Bapence.
tist

family for his untiring energy and great zeal in the

^Master's cause.

ABBREVIATIONS.

Rel.

Benom. in U. S. and G. B. Religious Benominationa in the United and Great Britain. By Charles Desilver. This is a work of about 800 pages and it is the most reliable work on the history of denominations which could be prepared, from the fact that the history of each denomination is furnished by a leading writer of its own communion.
States
;

Old Bapt. Test. Old Baptist

Test.

By

Dr.

John M. "Watson, a leading

Anti-Mission Baptist of Tennessee.

Letters to

Br. Watson. By Dr. B. B. C. Howell. These Letters were first published in " The Baptist," and afterward sent out in tract form
of 50 pages.

Phil. Bapt. Asso.

Philadeljyhia Baptist Association.

in a

This work contains

This
is

the Minutes of the Philadelphia Baptist Association, from 1707 to

1807 one hundred years bound work of great historical value.

Crosby's His. Eng. Bapt.

book of 475 pages.

Crosby's

four volumes.

By Thomas

History of the English Baptists. In Crosby, a deacon in Dr. Gill's church.

This work was published in 1738, and contains matter of great value.
Mos. Church His.
translation.

Mosheim's Church History.

Church History.
the
fifth

"We have quoted Macclaine's

of the

The learned author of this work was a member Lutheran Church, and deeply prejudiced against the Baptists.

Jones' Ch. His.

Jones'
From

By

"William Jones.

Two

vol-

umes

in one.

Trustees of
great value.

" Published by the Free-Will Baptist Connection." This is a work

London
edition.

the of

liob.'s Eccl. Res.

Robinson's Ecclesiastical Researches

is

Published at Camof Socinian

bridge, in 1792.

Though Robinson himself was a Baptist

sentiments, yet this work

of view.

of great importance in an historic point

460
Perrin's His. Wald.

Abbreviations.

By Jean Paul Perrin'a History of the Waldensea. Published in 1847, by Griffith k Simon, in Philadelphia. This edition was published under the influence of the Presbyterians, with an Essay on the Present Waldenses, by Kobert Baird, D. D., and a Recommendation, by Samuel Miller, D. D.
Perrin.

His. Wald., A. S. S. U.

History

of the Waldensea.

By

the American

Sunday-School Union.
Monaatier'a Hia. Vaud.

Neand. Hia. Chr. Jlel. and Ch. Neander'a Hiatory of the Christian Religion and Church during the Three First Centuries, Translated from the German, by H. J. Rose. Fifth edition. Published in Philadelphia, in 1844,
Rel.

Monaatier'a Hiatory of

the

Vaudoia Church.

Denom.

Religious
list

Denominations.

By Joseph

Belcher.

The

foregoing

contains but a few of the works quoted

in this book.

GENERAL. INDEX.
PAOK.

Apostolic Churches Missionary,

33

Ancient Waldenses supported denorninatiorial schools, Atlantic Cable ofSuccession, Albigenses and Waldenses tiie same class of peo])h!, Ancient Waidenses Haijtists,
.

40
-

77
112
121

All the irienibers of the churclies to participate in the trans-

action of business,
Antichrist,"

went out, Archbishop Cranmer pleads for the death of Joan, Ancient Mennonites Baptists,
.

-----.
.
. .

220
3'jO

421
-

432
17

Brown,

J. N.,

on Succession,

Jjclciier,

Joseph, on Succession,

IJenedict, J>avid,

on Succession,

Iiaj)tist peculiarities,

------

17
18
10

on the origin of the name Baptist, Baptist ministers from Europe. Baptists of England sent to Holland for baptism,
lielchcr, Joseph,

20
-

82
87
]0,'{

Baptist Succession from the Baptist peculiarity

first

aj)Ostles,

tested

by the
_

Bil>le,

171

Jiaptists claim Jesus Christ as the

founder and head,

_ _

178
180 184

Bible the rule of conduct,

Baptists claim the Scriptures as the sole rule of their faith

and

practice,

Bible order of the

Jjible order of

. Commandments, the Commandnuints claimed by

190
-

Baptists,
.

195 J99

]Jurial in bai)tism of the

dead to
-

sin,
-

Burial of the dead to

sin,

_
-

204
250
-

Bishop Iledding

for. Close

Communion,

Baptist ministers persecuted in Virginia,

270

462

General Index.
PAGE.
-

Bisliop

and Elder the same office, Baptismal Salvation by Luther, tlie

302 401

Baptismal Salvation in

Episcopal Church,
.

Bitterness of writers against the Baptists,

405 420

Baxter on the

evils of

Immersion,
.

429
28

Charleston Association,

Clarke, Dr. John, organized the

Newport Church
-

in 1G38,
-

G4
114
141

Charge of Drs. Miller and Rice against Jones, . Cromwell on the rise of the Waldenses,
Creeds

among

Baptists,

Confession of Faith published by the English Baptists,

Communion Communion

objections,

--------.

187
-

188

233
.

in heaven,

_ -

Concessions to Baptist views of

Concessions of Dr. Hibbard,
-

Communion,
.

238 250 252

256
258

Coke and Asbury for Close Communion, Campbell for Close Communion, Catholics and Protestants against the Baptists, Cruel treatment of the Baptists by Presbyterians, . Cyprian to Fidus on Infant baptism, Church in the wilderness, Close of the Waldensean period,

272
-

Catholic Church,

Calvin persecutes, Campbellism,

Campbell the head,

-------------------

273 309

344 385

394 419 439 439

Difference between Perrin

and Jones concerning infant bap-

tism

Decree of

among the Waldenses, Victor Amadius to force the

-

116 132 257

Baptists to baptize
-

children,

Discipline of Methodists for Close

Doctrine of the Novatians,

Donatists,

-----------

Communion,

314
328

Dragon

cast out,

-~
.

342
373 387
388

Destruction of AValdenses,

Decree for the baptism of the infants of the Waldenses, Dreadful sufferings of the Waldenses in prisons,

General Index.
Decree of Charles V. against the Baptists, Doctrine for which the English Baptists were burned, . . . Doctrine of English Baptists, .

463
PAGE.

415 425 427

32

Early Welsh Baptists missionary,

. -

Early Baptists in favor of ministerial education,

37

Events connected with the Roger Williams English Baptists not from John Smith,
English Baptists descended from the

affair
-

summed
-

up,
-

60
78 84 209 223 290

German

Baptists,
.

Equality in church business taught in the Scriptures, . Equality claimed among Baptists,

_ -

Equality

among

the primitive churches,

.

Expulsion of the Novatians, Equality among the Waldenses, Episcopal Church,

Evils of immersion,

Faith before baptism, Folly of communion with Reformers,

Flight of the

Woman,

-----------------_

339
361 404

429
193

259
336

Final Dispersion of the Waldenses,

385
91 99

German German
Growth

Baptists not from the Munster riot,

Baptists from the ancient Waldenses,

-

Graves, J. R., on church independency,

of infant baptism,

Howell on Succession, Holmes whipped for preaching,

---------

224

310
18

273

Horrible cruelty of the Reformers,

Injustice of charging Baptists with the

414
-

Munster
-

affair,

94
123 126

Infant baptism

among

the Waldenses, from the Spiritual

. . -

Almanac,

Infant baptism not in the old Waldensean confessions, Infant communion, . Infant baptism a fearful sin,
.

297
311

Infant baptism the invention of the Devil, Infants saved by baptism Wesley, -

411
.

438

464
Jeter, J. B.,

General Index.
PAUIS.

on the " Old School " Baptists, " James and Mary," > . Jesus the founder of his church, Jeter on the use of creeds,
Jesus baptized before communion,
_

Jones on the dispersion of the AValdenses,

Kingdom Kingdom

visible,

of

God

not meat and drink,

Liberty of conscience,

Lord's Supper in the Kingdom,

Lutheran Church, Luther calls the Baptists Lutheranism from Home, Luther persecutes,

Munster Riot, Miller and Eice against Jones,

--------------------------

25 78 172 187
243

886
9 12 223

244
399

" devils,"

402 403

420
92
115 127
141

Modern AValdenses
Milton on the
rise

enrolled with the State clergy,

.
-

of the Waldenses,
-

Ministers to rule,

-211
-

Ministers are servants,

212
-

Mixed communion sanctions Modern Baptists persecuted,

persion,
-

error,
-

246 271

Meeting of the remnant of the Waldenses after their

-

dis-

Millions destroyed

Modern Baptists, Martyrdom of Wagner, Martyrdom of Ilubmeyer,

Martyrdom
Mennonites,

INIartyrdom of Baptists by the Reformers,

of Satler and his wife,
-

Mosheim on the Mcnnonites, Modern Mennonites have departed from the faith,

Methodism,

..-----------------------

389 393

by the

Catholics,

409 412 413 414 415 431

432 434 435

General Index.

4G5
53 135

No

succession from Roger Williams,

Noble

lesson against Infant baptism,

Novatians,

Novatian's character by Dupin,

Novatian churches not from Novatian, Novatians from the primitive churches, Novatians the Apostolic Church of Christ, Novatians were Baptists, Noble defense by Patrick Henry of Baptist preachers, Novatian period, Novatians opposed baptismal salvation, Novatians immersed their converts, Novatians were strict in comniunion, _ Novatians were prersecuted, Novatians retire to the valleys, -

--------------. -

I54 155
158
161

164 155 280 313

317 318

325
326 341
-

Oldest Baptist Church in America at Newport,

61

Organization of the present Providence First Church, Origin of the Baptists hid in the depths of antiquity,

52
-

101

One

pastor should serve but one church at a time,

-

303
_

Origin of baptismal salvation,

306

Oates, a Baptist preacher, tried for his

life for

immersing,

428
116
118
-

Waldenses baptizing children, Pope and Maguire debate,

Perrin's report of

Position of slaves in the church,

Positions of minors in the church,

213 215
267

Persecutions spoken of in the Bible,

Persecutions in Massachusetts,

Preaching in prison,
Primitive churches,
-

>

272 277 285

287 288

Primitive churches practiced immersion,

Primitive churches opposed baptismal salvation,

Primitive churches equal in point of privilege,

292

Primitive churches strict in their communion,

Primitive churches persecuted,
_ -

Preservation of the church in the wilderness,

Popish blasphemy,

------

295 298
346
396^

466

General Index.

Presbyterianism,

_____
-

PAGE.

407
_

Protestant decree against Baptists,

418 424

Queen Elizabeth persecuted the

Baptists,

Eoyal Encyclopedia on the Munster affair, N. L., against Jones, Eepentance prior to faith with the heart, Eestricted communion,
Eice, Dr.

97

Eestricted

communion among

Else of the hierarchy,

Else of infant baptism,

Eome Eome

not to be reformed,
described

by Waller,

Eomanism, Eomish blasphemy, Eomish baptismal salvation,

Else of Lutheranism,

--------------------_ -

115 192

233 262

Baptists,

305 307
331

332 394
395 397

Eise of the Episcopal Church,

Eogers

for

burning Baptists,

400 404 423

24

Secession of the Anti-Mission Baptists, -

Smith, John, repudiated his baptism,

Trott, Elder S.,

81

on the separation from the missionaries,

_

24
200
226

_ The Savior immersed, The Baptists sided with Washington The charge of Close Communion not The true Church persecuted,

in the Eevolution,

applicable to Baptists,
_
_

255
266 299 329
391
39(5

Terrible persecution of early Christians,

The great apostacy, The Waldensean period Traditions of Eome,

closed in the year 1686,

_____ _____
-

Terrible decree of Charles Y.,'

415
334

Union of the corrupt Church and

Validity of Novatian's baptism, Valleys of Piedmont described,

State,
_

320 347

Vengeance on guilty nations,

392

General Index.
Welsh Tract Church emigrated from Wales,
AValdenses
-

467
PAGE.
_

65
_

the

name,

i07
128

Waldenses driven out of the valleys in 1686, Waldensean Confessions contain no infant baptism, Waldenses regarded infant baptism as a mark of Antichrist,

Waldenses, their origin,

-----

135
137

138
-

_ _ Waldenses from the Novatians, "Waldenses never needed any reformation, "W^aldenses claim an uninterrupted succession,

142

146
-

149
202

AVashing away of sins in baptism, Women to keep silence in. the churches, Women allowed to pray and prophesy,
AValler on the folly of

_
-

216 217
248
336

Open Communion,

Waldensean period, Waldenses claim Jesus as their founder and head, Waldenses claim the Bible as their rule, _ _ Waldenses buried in baptism, Waldenses opposed baptismal salvation, Waldenses strict in communion, Waldenses persecuted, Waldensean women and children perished in the snow, Waldensean children represented as beasts, Waldenses committed to the flames in 1232, AValdenses increased under persecutions, _ Wesley for baptismal salvation,
Zuingle debates with Baptists,
Zuin^lians against the Baptists,
_ -

-----

349
351

_ ,

355
356

-----

364 370
374 376 378 379 437 41c

4H

THE TEXT-BOOK ON CAMPBELLISM

reached the Third Edition. Errors of the press have been removed from the last edition of this work. Among the multitude of commendations of the Key to Campbellism, on its first appearance, we have
'"~"

^'AS

the following:

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS.

appearance of this book. It> is the very thing needed by our ministers who have not time to read all of Campbell's writings the very thing for our members, for it places a key to the mysteries of this seductive system in their hands; and with this book and the New Testament they can withstand this error. The times demand that it should have a wide circulation. It should be in every Baptist family." The Baptiat,
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raves, Editor.)

"The work itself we consider the best book on the subject for popular reading. It gives a clear view of what Campbellism is; shows its manifold inconsistencies, and refutes its errors. Without parade of learning, it presents common-sense views, which must carry conviction to all sincere and candid inquirers." N. M. Crawford, {PreaideiU of Georfjetown
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"After reading the work, I am thoroughly convinced this very textl;ook is needed in every section where Campbtdlism prevails. I have never iret with any work which fills its place. Here we have an index to all P'[r, Campbell taught, with chapter and page for everything that is ever tillirmed. Ilis fallacies are clearly shown, in short and pithy chapters. I ave seen the time when I would have given double the price of the book I IVir the chapter on Mr. Campbell's twenty contradictions. Suffice it to say tlie book is a success, and should meet with an extensive sale, especially ill Kentucky, where Mr. Lard succeeds so well in preaching original Campbellism." A, Ji. CubaiiiiH, {PrcHident Broionnville Female Cottefje, Tenn.)

"There was a place for this work, and the work fills the place. The distinguishing peculiarities of the Reformation are brought out by a great variety of citations from the writings of Mr. Campbell and his 'disciples,' and confuted with 'short, sharp and decisive' arguments, combining the authority of Scripture and the demonstration of logic; (though not without occasional and even serious errors of the pen or the press.)" Index and Baptint, Georyia.

"If

it

is

mation, as it presented it.

possible tr present the system produced by the current reforis taught by the leading ' disciples,' this book has faithfully Many ^ho atylo themselves ' Christians,' may not acknowl-

470

Text=(Book on Campbellism.

edge the picture which our author draws many would shrink from confessing the errors which he brings to the light. But the book is nevertheIf thousands are connected with this less an exposure of the system. error by accident, or prejudice, or education, whose experience and practice or a denial of it, this phenomenon constitutes no good reason why it should not be exposed. Manfully meeting error for the love we bear to the truth, and kindly treating the erring, is the only sure way to stop the progress of the former, and win the latter back to the primitive faith." Kentucky Baptist.
;

" The author's aim seems to be, to show from these writings what Mr. Campbell and his followers really teach, but he does more than this he enters the list of the disputants to show the errors and sophistry of Mr. Campbell's teachings, and their wide and vital divergence from the teachThe work shows thought and ings of the New Testament and of Baptists.

studious research its style is sufficiently lucid. It does not take the place of Elder A. P. Williams' master-piece on the leading features of Campbellism his review of Moses E. Lard but it has a place, and, seemingly a very appropriate place, of its own. We have not fallen upon one bitter or malicious sentence in it, and we hope, for the honor of truth, there are none. When the venom of hate distills its poison upon a defense of truth, the truth suffers from its virulence. Any one wishing to know what Campbellism, or the current reformation, generally so-styled, is, can distinctly And if the refutation of it ascertain it by a careful perusal of this book. he there finds is not satisfactory, he will find one that is so in A. P. Williams' review of Lard." Texas Baptist.

" This is evidently the work of one who has made himself entirely familial* with Campbellism; who has read its inmost heart; of one also, who loves that faith which was of old delivered to the saints, and is ready to contend We commend the book to such as may desire a succinct for it earnestly. view of the history of Campbellism, with a statement and refutation of its The style is direct, pungent, and the reasoning conclu])rincipal tenets. sive, because, while logical, also scriptural." The Standard, Chicago, III.

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