December 1, 2020
Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives
New England Baptists 1638-1776 AD – Old Landmarkers
Baptist Were Fined and Imprisoned for Conducting a Baptism
PART EIGHT
Those who would pursue the sickening details of Baptist suffering at the hands of Pedobaptists for the next centuries, I refer to the History of Baptists, by Backus, two volumes.
The only instance of affiliation I find for one hundred years after, was the case of a “liberal” Baptist, who invited Bro. P. Robbins to preach to his people. This he did January 6th, 1742, and for this act Mr. Robbins was promptly tried and excluded from his Consociation as a disorderly person.
One hundred and twenty-seven years after this, we find the Baptists in New England still fined and imprisoned, and the objects of the most disgraceful indignities.
This is related by Backus: “For two young ministers were called to preach in Pepperell, near forty miles north-westward of Boston, to whom six persons offered themselves as candidates for baptism. Therefore, on June 26th they met in a field by a river side, where prayers were made, and a sermon begun, when the chief officers of the town, with many followers, came and interrupted their worship . . . A dog was carried into the river and plunged in, in evident contempt of our sentiments. A gentleman of the town then invited the Baptists to go and hold their meetings at his house, which was near another river. They accepted it, and so went through with their worship—at the close of which a man was hired, with a bowl of liquor, to go into the river and dip another two or three times over, when also two or three dogs more were plunged; after which three officers of the town came into the house where the Baptist ministers were, and advised them to immediately depart out of that town for their own safety” (Backus, vol. 2, p. 221).
They left, agreeing to meet the candidates at a distant place of water, where the baptism did take place. This was near Boston, in the year 1778; and it is worthy of note that the first meeting house Baptists built in Boston was nailed up, and they forbidden to worship in it.
(tomorrow – Removing all doubt how Puritans treated Baptists)
Presented by Thomas E. Kresal from excerpts: Graves, James R.. Old Landmarkism: What is it? . First Vision Publishers. Kindle Edition. Chapter 15
