The Baptist Churches that were first established in America used the name Baptist because they all believed in election, a limited atonement, (all who Christ died for), particular redemption (Christ redeemed all that God elected before the foundation of the world), predestination as taught in the 8^th chapter of Romans, 29^th verse, "for whom he did foreknow, he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." The new movement began to cause real unrest several years after the new doctrine was started by Carey and Fuller in 1784. They were advocating that the atonement was universal; that Christ died for everybody and not any one in particular. This new doctrine began to be advocated publicly by the Baptist in some places over the Northern and Eastern states, and in many places in the middle and Southern part of the United States. This caused much grief in the Baptist ranks. The country was being settled and great changes were taking place in the material things of life so that it made an ideal place for those who sought new things in the churches to have a fertile field to work. The division between the ones who would not vary from the original Bible way of worship and held to the old doctrine, practice and precepts, were called Old School or Primitive Baptist to distinguish them from the ones who favored the new doctrine, who were called New School or Missionary Baptist. Some Associations tried to continue to meet under these divided conditions, but in a few years the division was clear enough for each side to have separate churches and Associations. The reader will observe in the history given in this volume as to what happened because of the new way of worship. I am not using altogether the oldest churches in each area as I am aware that there are older churches and Associations in Middle and East Tennessee as well as other states, but I am using the ones where I have the original authentic records written by the churches in most instances. I am using the oldest churches in given areas. These churches can be traced back to the earliest Baptist churches in America.

The first Baptist Church established in America was in 1638, by John Clarke at Newport, Rhode Island. John Clarke was the first pastor, "The first successor of Clarke as pastor was Obadiah Holmes, 1672-82; the second Richard Dingley, 1689-94; then William Peckham, 1711-32; John Comer, 1726-26, a colleague to Peckham. John Callender became pastor in 1731-, died in 1748, and from him the pastoral succession has gone on in a line of worthies which would honor the history of any church, while many of its deacons have been known as the first men in the commonwealth. The Church has always been Calvinistic, and has practiced singing as a part of public worship, excepting a time in the early part of the eighteenth century". (Armitages History, page 673)

Armitage was a historian of the Missionary Baptist, but he admits that the first church was Calvinistic. You will find the Old Welsh tract Church used in this history even though they came from Wales as a church already organized. They believed the same doctrine as the first Baptist Church organized in 1638 by John Clarke. The reader will find in tracing the history of the first churches in America, particularly in Delaware and the joining states to Virginia, North Carolina, and upper South Carolina in this book under the heading, "Baptist of Lower North Carolina and Upper South Carolina", by Elder C. M. Mills. Since it is not the purpose of this book to trace the (Primitive) Baptist Church through history prior to the first Baptist Church in the United States as already been stated in the Preface and Introduction, because this was ably done by Elder Sylvester Hassell in a history published in 1886, and reprinted by Turner Lassiter of Georgia - however, the supply is exhausted. We have a later book that was written by Elder J. D. Holder in 1961 titled Principles and Practices of the Church. This is a reliable history of the Baptist Church, beginning with the Apostles day and coming on down through the centuries to the first Baptist churches of America of which the Welsh Tract Church established in 1701, was on. Elder Holder quotes from the best historians of the past as his authority and gives full credit to these by page and quotation. This book can be purchased from Elder J. D. Holder, Corinth, Mississippi. [ Hassells history can still be found but Im not sure if the Holder book is available now--Editor]

I mentioned that the first churches established in America were Calvinistic I think that I should give some information on Calvin for many people, even many of the members of Primitive Baptist churches, think that the Primitive Baptist trace their origin through John Calvin. The true church has never traced the Church through him or any other man or group of men. The Apostolic Church can only be traced through the centuries of time by the doctrine, precept, and practice being that of the Bible commanded of Jesus Christ, who is head over all things to the church. John Calvin was educated to be a priest, but was never set apart to this office.

John Calvin was a reformer - he didnt come out of the true church. In 1535, Calvin made an address in plea for reform in the church. This information is in Schaff and Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, page 365. Though Calvin subscribed to the principles of election, predestination, particular redemption, special atonement, irresistible grace, total depravity, etc.., he got this doctrine from those who lived many centuries before him, as the Waldenses, Albigenses, who believed these great truths. These were Bible truths - so that is what is meant by being Calvinistic. The word Calvinistic was coined in referring to the Bible truths because John Calvin being a very brilliant man put forth a great effort in behalf of the principles taught in the Bible, but he was not the originator of them. Calvin went to the extreme on some of the principles like predestination and taught things the true Baptist Church has never taught nor do they believe.

The chief purpose of this volume is for the people seeking the truth of the Bible, whether they be young or old. Our desire is that you will be able by this history to trace the true Baptist Church in America. By using the Bible doctrine, precept, and practice, the true church can be identified by the Bible principles which never change. Wiley Sammons [Taken from The Identity Of The True Baptist Church written by Elder Wiley Sammons]