Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives
New England Baptists 1638-1776 AD – Old Landmarkers
Protestants Recognized as Societies Not Churches
PART NINE
If there can be any doubt in the mind of anyone how the “fathers” of New England Baptists regarded the Puritan Pedobaptists of their day (1770), I copy this from Backus. These Puritans declared to the Court that—
“Some [Baptists] have had the affrontery to say that the standing ministry [Congregationalists] is corrupt; ministers themselves unconverted; the churches impure and unholy, admitting unconverted and unsanctified persons into their communion” (Vol. 2, p. 158).
Can anyone believe that Baptists would believe this, which they most undoubtedly did, and then, before the world, by affiliating acts recognize these unconverted ministers, and these impure and unholy sects as scriptural churches, and in every way equal to their own? They certainly did not do it. And are not these charges as true today with respect to all Pedobaptist societies as they were then? And if we walk in the “paths our fathers trod,” what ought to be our testimony?
(tomorrow – Puritan laws demand Baptist pay taxes to support their church)
Presented by Thomas E. Kresal from excerpts: Graves, James R.. Old Landmarkism: What is it? . First Vision Publishers. Kindle Edition. Chapter 15
Presented by Thomas E. Kresal from excerpts: Graves, James R.. Old Landmarkism: What is it? . First Vision Publishers. Kindle Edition. Chapter 15