Baptists, Primitive, or Old School. —- The Primitive Baptists are often called ‘Old School,” or “ Anti-Mission,” or “ Anti-Effort,” and, in deri- sion, ‘‘hardshell’’ Baptists.

Jim Curran

Admin  · Yesterday at 10:00 AM  · Daily Baptist Encyclopedia by William Cathcart

Baptists, Primitive, or Old School. —- The Primitive Baptists are often called ‘Old School,” or “ Anti-Mission,” or “ Anti-Effort,” and, in deri- sion, ‘‘hardshell’’ Baptists. They usually, if not invariably, adopt the Philadelphia Confession of Faith, founded upon that approved by over a hun- dred leading men in London, in 1689. They do not materially differ from the Regular Baptists as to Scripture doctrine, agreeing with them as to the necessity of regeneration, the mode and subjects of baptism, baptism preceding the Supper, and con- gregational church government. Some style them- selves “‘ Predestinarians,” and are charged with pushing the “doctrines of grace,” called “ Calvin- istic,” into “‘ hyper-Calvinism,” or fatalism, deny- ing any responsibility in man for his own conduct or condition. Baptists generally dwell upon the lessons given by John, the Forerunner, the adorable Redeemer, and his apostles and disciples, as to the necessity of seeking repentance and forgiveness ; for how can immortal beings believe in Him of whom they have not heard? and how can they hear without a preacher? and how can preachers go forth unless others aid them? They urge “that it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them who believe.” But many of the Old-School brethren, while they comfort saints, do not feel it a duty to warn sinners, and few conversions occur under their ministrations, They allege that God carries on his own work, “‘ without the least instru- mentality whatever,” and that ‘all the preaching from John the Baptist until now, if made to bear on one unregenerate sinner, could no more quicken his poor dead soul than so much chattering of a crane or of aswallow.” (Circular of Warwick Association, 1840, copied by Chemung soon afterwards.) And it would not but for God’s accompanying Spirit. This system is not entirely new, but has prevailed at times elsewhere. It is claimed that it humbles the pride of man ; but it is charged, also, that it pampers ease, lulls to sleep, and shrivels benevolence. The decline of some Baptist churches in Great Britain is attributed by many to this contracted view of man’s duty and privilege. The Great Awakening under Edwards, White- field, and Wesley, over a century since, aroused many in the Baptist and other denominations to the fact of each person’s own accountability as a laborer in the Lord’s great harvest-field, leaving to him the issues, in grace as in nature. William Carey’s entrance upon his mission work in India was a result of this reformation. In America the same divergence of views among Baptists resulted in alienations and divisions, while opposing parties yet remained in the same body. At length, in September, 1835, the Chemung As- sociation (New York and Pennsylvania), at a meet- ing with Sullivan church, Charleston, Tioga Co., Pa., passed the following: “Whereas, a number of the Associations with whom we have held correspondence have departed from the simplicity of the doctrine and practice of the gospel of Christ, and have followed cunningly devised fables (the inventions of men), uniting them- selyes with the world in what are falsely called be- nevolent societies, founded upon a moneyed basis, with a profession to spread the gospel, which is another gospel differing from the gospel of Christ. Resolved, therefore, that we discontinue our corre- spondence with the Philadelphia, Abington, Bridge- water, Franklin, Steuben, Madison, and all other Associations which are supporting the popular in- stitutions of the day ; and most affectionately invite all those churches, or members of churches, among them who cannot fellowship them to come out from among thém and leave them.” In May following (1836) the Baltimore Associa- tion met at Black Rock, Baltimore Co., Md., and passed the samein substance. Itis generally known as ‘the Black Rock declaration.” The minority members of these bodies at once founded others on the platform of aiding mission- ary, temperance, Sunday-school, and such other organizations as they deemed in harmony with Bible teachings. Similar divisions ran through other churches and Associations, mostly in the South and West. In 1844 the Baptist Almanac attempted to distinguish between the Regular or Mission Baptists and those who opposed missionary work in formal organiza- tions for that purpose. The record of 1844 reported 184 Old-School Associations, 1622 churches, 900 ordained ministers, 2374 baptized in the year pre- ceding, and 61,162 members. The Year Book for 1880 returns 900 Old-School churches, 400 ordained ministers, and 40,000 members,—a loss of one-third in thirty-six years. The Old-School brethren have declined in numbers almost every year since they made the division. They haye some periodicals, but no seminaries of learning and no national or- ganizations. Many of the Old-School brethren in the ministry possess decided ability as expounders of Scripture, the members of their churches are commonly per- sons of deep piety, and of extensive Biblical knowledge. The creed which they generally hold is the Confession most venerated by all the Regular Baptists of America, from whom they originally withdrew, and with whom they decline to hold any ecclesiastical relations.From the Baptist Encyclopedia by William CathcartView insights224 post reach

4You, Barry Farley, Joe Roszelle and 1 other