The following article was written in response to the progressive movement that occurred at the turn of the century (1900). It shows that the progressive movement then was repeating history by trying to implement some of the same new teachings/practices brought in by the 1830's modern missionary movement. It is ironic that today's liberal/progressive movement is doing the exact same thing by re-introducing some of those same new doctrines/practices which orderly Primitive Baptists have more than once rejected. Note also that the Kirkland's and Fulton Church were dropped from the union of several associations because of their involvement in the progressive movement in that day and time. Although a little lengthy, this article is a good historic document for those interested in examining our history. [Editor Elder Claude McKee]

 

History Repeats Itself
February 5, 1907

In the Southern Department will be found an article by Elder Lee Hanks headed "An Explanation," which was called forth by Elder Kirkland demanding a retraction of a statement made by Elder Hanks in this paper some time ago. With Reference to that matter we have this to say:

Elder Kirkland was labored with privately by a number of brethren, and he would not agree to cease advocating the measures and theories he advocated. Then some of the churches of the Greenfield-Philesic Association wrote kind and brotherly letters to Fulton Church, begging them to labor with those brethren. All the churches in the association, except one, took action in their conferences and stated in their letters to the union meeting of the Greenfield-Philesic Association, held with the church in Martin on Friday, Saturday and fifth Sunday in July, 1905, that "We favor dropping Fulton Church from our union and association unless they will cease advocating and practicing these things"the things complained of, and which have been disturbing the peace of the churches since they began to be advocated. The letters sent to Fulton Church were handed to the moderator in conference, but were not read to the church. Thus they refused a hearing to their sister churches. So at the convening of the union meeting the Fulton Church was dropped from the union, they refusing a hearing to their sister churches, and the churches saying in their letters they favored this being done unless they would cease advocating the things then enumerated. The association also took action, dropping Fulton Church from the association, when convened with the church at Little Zion on Friday, Saturday and third Sunday in October, 1905. All the corresponding associations, except one, took action in their bodies, endorsing our act, namely, Big Sandy, Forked Deer, Obion and Predestinarian. The matter stands that way today. There is not a church in the Greenfield-Philesic Association, and we do not believe there is one in the Big Sandy, Forked Deer, Obion or Predestinarian Associations, all in West Tennessee, that would recognize Elder Kirkland or his church as being in order. It is true he has some followers, but the main body of Baptists here considers him as being entirely separated from them.

As it seemed necessary for us to make this statement again, we wish to notice the thought presented in the heading of this article that history is repeating itself. In the days of Gill and Brine there were no disturbances among the Baptists on the question of the commission or missions. Concerning the preaching and teaching of those men and the work of the churches in those days Cramp says in his history, page 499, "And this is certain that those eminent men and all their followers went far astray from the course marked out by our Lord and His Apostles. They were satisfied with stating men's danger, and assuring them that they were on the high road to perdition. But they did not call upon them to 'repent and believe the gospel'. They did not entreat them to be 'reconciled unto God.' They did not warn every man and teach every man in all wisdom. And the churches did not, could not, under their instruction, engage in efforts for the conversion of souls." Here is a period of time before the days of Fuller and Carey that the churches did not engage in mission work - they did not engage in efforts for the conversion or salvation of souls. They recognized the truthfulness of the teaching of Holy Writ that it is the work of God alone to save from sin and all its ruinous consequences. Gill and Brine were eminent men, they were representative men, of the Baptist Church in their day, and they did not call upon the unregenerate to repent and believe the gospel. The churches were having no trouble on the mission question in those days. It is evident that the Baptist ministers and churches of that day did not hold to the idea that the obligation of the commission was resting upon the church, for they were not engaged in mission work.

But this state of peace and quietude did not continue. Andrew Fuller and William Carey rose up among the Baptists and began teaching a theory which had been taught by Rome for centuries - that the church should convert the world to Christ. Their theory resulted in the organization of the first missionary board or society among the Baptists on October 2, 1792, at the home of Beebe Wallis in Kettering, England. It is manifestly true that this was not in harmony with the sentiment of the Baptists as a body, for when Mr. Carey fist made mention of the matter, or proposed the move, Dr. Ryland said, "When God gets ready to convert the world He will do it without your help or mine." This is the substance of his expression. B. H. Carroll, Jr., in his work called "The Genesis of American Anti-Missionism," page 25, says, "It is unquestionable that missionary activity in the United States, among all denominations, was, in a sense, a direct growth of William Carey's work. This great Baptist was the founder of missionary activity in two continents and was the father of American, as well as English, missions." This work of Mr. Carroll's has been well received among the New School Baptists. If Mr. Carey was the father of missions among the Baptists, it follows that this mission child, born since 1761, the year Mr. Carey was born, is entirely too young to claim to be the original practice of the Baptists. The Baptist Church is older than the father of this little child Yet those who are followers of this late move claim to be the original Baptists.

Mr. Carroll on page 58, concerning Adoniram Judson, that "The conversion of this man to Baptist views, and his missionary labors and successes severally, contained the genesis and stimulus of American Baptist Missions." The genesis is the beginning. So Mr. Carroll says here was the beginning of American Baptist Missions. There were American Baptist prior to Mr. Judson's conversion to baptism by immersion (for his is really what he was converted to), yet they were not Missionary Baptists, for Mr. Carroll says this is the genesis of American Baptist missions. Luther Rice was also a great leader in this new mission movement among the Baptists. In a letter to Dr. Bolles, of Salem, Mass., written by Mr. Judson while in Calcutta, he says concerning places where there were openings for missionaries, "At present Amboyna seems to present the most favorable opening. Fifty thousand souls are there perishing without the means of life," etc. The Boston Female Society for missionary purposes was organized in 1800. This appears to be the first female society formed in this country among the Baptist; and Mr. Carroll says, page 34, "After Judson, there were many spinning, weaving, knitting and other feminine societies to promote the mission cause."

After bearing with, though all the while contending against, these departures from primitive practice and teaching, as well as gross departures from the Scriptures and the simplicity of the gospel, a number of brethren met at Black Rock, Maryland, on September 28, 1832, and made formal declaration of non-fellowship against these departures. In their address they say: "We will now call your attention to the subject of missions. Previous to stating our objections to the mission plans, we will meet some of the false charges brought against us relative to this subject, by a simple and unequivocal declaration, that we do regard as of the first importance the command given of Christ, primarily to His apostles, and through them to His ministers in every age, to 'Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,' and do feel an earnest desire to be found acting in obedience thereunto, as the providence of God directs our way, and opens a door of utterance for us." This expression from these brethren is unmistakable evidence that the commission was a bone of contention." They differed from the Missionaries on this point. We have already seen that the mission idea was a new thing, and a departure; and we will state this as a true principle, that the whole mission scheme, as well as a salaried system for the ministry, is based on the idea that the commission was given to the church, and that the obligation of the commission rests on the church. If you remove the idea from the minds of mean that the commission is binding on the church, you would have removed the foundation from under the whole mission theory and the fabric would crumble and fall, having no foundation upon which to stand. Those brethren at Black Rock did not believe the commission was given to the church, but to the apostles and ministry, for they said so. Fuller, Carey, Judson, Rice and others had invented new schemes and theories, based upon their view that the commission was given to the church and that the church should convert the world to Christ, and introduced those measures into the Baptist Church. These brethren at the Black Rock held the original view, that the commission was given primarily to the apostles and through them to the ministry in every age. This was Gill's view. He says:

"Go ye into all the world:" not only into Judea, and through all the cities of it, where they had before been confined; not only into the Roman empire, which is sometimes so called, be cause a great part of the world was under that government; but into every know and habitable part of the whole universe, to all the nations of the world under heaven; and it is to be observed, that this command is not enjoined upon every apostle separately, as if each of them was to go into all the world, and travel over every part but that one was to go one way, and another another way; every one had his line, or that part of the world marked out for him, whither he was to steer his course, and where he was to fulfill and finish his ministry; and besides, this commission not only included the apostles, but reaches to all the ministers of the gospel in succeeding ages to the end of the world; and since this, one part of the world which was not know, is now discovered: and the order includes that, as well as the then known parts of the world; and the gospel accordingly has been sent into it.

This shows that Gill held that the commission was to the apostles and ministry and not to the church.

But someone might ask, "Did not the brethren at Black Rock believe that it was the duty of the church to send the ministry?" Yes, they believed it this way, that it was the duty of the church to ordain or set apart to the work those the Lord called. They did not hold that a church in Tennessee or Kentucky should support a man while he was preaching in the "regions beyond," or in Burmah or China. They held that it was the Scriptural plan for those to contribute their carnal things to aid the minister among whom he labored, and this is the way they give us to understand it was done before the mission scheme was invented. See their address.

Now, in this latter day some others have arisen among the Old School Baptists holding that the commission was given to the church, among them Todd, Strickland, Hackleman, R. S. and J. V. Kirkland, and others. Where will you now find the four first named? Among the New School Baptists.

Mr. Carroll says the Missionaries "pleaded in vain for a spirit of toleration" Their measures were tolerated for years, but forbearance had ceased to be a virtue. Mr. Carroll, page 165, in quoting form Holcombe's History of the Baptists of Alabama, describes a circumstance that is claimed to have occurred in the Flint River Association. He says the Missionaries "most affectionately and earnestly besought their anti brethren to suffer them to do as they felt bound in conscience to do as they would with their own, and not let those things be a bar to Christian fellowship. They intreated, they plead by the mercies of God - by the love of the Saviour, and by the joys of heaven; they wept - tears flowed; they cried to heaven heaven smiled! But the adamantine hearts of the anti brethren were not touched; they were apparently as hard as the nether mill-stone." Does this not sound very much like some favorite expressions in use so much in this day? Does it not have the appearance that some in this latter day have almost borrowed some expressions that were used in those days in pleading for forbearance? But, did our brethren do right in bearing with those departures no longer? What Old Baptist can afford to say our brethren should have longer borne with all the heresies they had to contend with? For our part, we think that if they made a mistake it was in bearing with those heresies for so many years. The Saviour says "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees," and the apostle tells us that "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."

Mr. Carroll, page 188, says "the attack always comes from the antis. They forced the fighting and necessitated the division." This we say is to their credit. But the same charge is now made against those who are contending against the idea that the commission was given to the church, that the alien sinner should be admonished to repent and believe the gospel, as well as other theories that are not according to primitive doctrine or the Scriptures.

One instance of the result of continued forbearance with error is shown by the departure of the Hephzibah Association in Georgia, as recorded on pages 182 and 183 of Mr. Carroll's work. In 1832 they were opposed to the new mission schemes, but they continued to bear with and tolerate the teaching of Elder Kilpatrick, which teaching was done privately as well as publicly, until in 1836 the association passed a resolution to "become a component member of the Baptist Convention of the State of Georgia." Verily, the rule given by the apostle is a good and safe one to follow - "an heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject."

After trying the board and society scheme for years, it seems that many of the New School Baptists are becoming aware of the fact that the scheme is a failure, though the cry has so often been made, "Give us money and we will take the world for Christ." Now they are entering into another new scheme, and have organized a kind of national missionary association with J. B. Sellman as secretary and treasurer. This organization was effected, we think, in the latter part of 1905, at Texarkana. We cannot see any material difference between this and their former way; but now if a church or individual wishes to contribute to the mission cause their contribution may be sent to Mr. Sellman. Who will keep a record of it and forward it to the missionary in the field. Mr. Sellman was appointed by the association.

In the Apostolic Herald of August1, 1906, Elder J. V. Kirkland editor, Brother Kirkland mentions the names of Elder H. E. Pettus (who is now with the New School Baptists) and W. L. Murray, and insists that they should spend their time preaching among the destitute and where there are no churches, and that the brethren should arrange as best they can to get up means to pay their expenses while there. He says: "And I wish to kindly ask all of our brethren and churches to lay by a donation to help in their expenses. If any church or individual wishes to make a donation for that purpose, they can send it to the A. H. with their instructions and I will see that it is expended just as they say, and a true record is kept of it for the inspection of all concerned." For our life we cannot see the difference between the position occupied by Mr. Sellman and that which Elder Kirkland proposes to fill in the above statement, except that one was appointed by a kind of national association while the other was not. Verily, history continues to repeat itself.

Yet, amidst all the changing and shifting scenes that are continually going on in the world, the Lord has never left Himself without a witness. In all ages there have been some who were not carried about with every wind of doctrine, and there will be a few of that kind when the Lord comes again. His kingdom continues to stand, notwithstanding the many efforts to reform and reconstruct. Jesus is her King and Lawgiver, her Husband, and will never leave nor forsake. Let us press on, fighting as true soldiers under the banner of Prince Immanuel. Only a few more trials, difficulties, dark seasons and heartaches, and we can lay our armor by. May the Lord sustain us all, and help us to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered unto the saints. C. H. C.

(From page 153 of Volume 1, Selected Editorials from The Primitive Baptist, Editor Elder C. H. Cayce)