DAVID BENEDICT OF THE STRAWBERRY BAPTIST ASSN. (Virginia)

 David Benedict says this in 1848 of the Strawberry Association in Virginia. 

"Disputes about doctrines. At this session (1774), the Association was most painfully agitated, by the discussion of the following very serious and important question, viz.

Is salvation by Christ made possible for every individual of the human race?

One whole day was spent in debating this subject, and most of the preachers took part in the debate. Those who supported the affirmative were called Arminians, the other side were denominated Calvinists."

Benedict records that the two sides reconciled when he said "By mutual concessions and explanations, a reunion of the conflicting parties was effected during the same meeting, and they retired from the scene a united body."

Benedict does not record which side prevailed, and we can only assume that it was decided to allow for diversity of opinion, since neither party seceded and formed a new association. Whatever articles of faith they had, must have been written in such a way to be interpreted more than one way. It is also clear that those who held in the affirmative, would not be considered "Arminian" today, nor would they be considered "Calvinist", as they held to the impossibility of final apostasy, as well as general atonement, not unlike most Baptists today..

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