NORTH RIVER UNITED BAPTIST ASSOCIATION, TUSCALOOSA UNITED BAPTIST ASSN. Alabama

 The North River United Baptist Association, founded in 1832 by Elder David Andrews and members of the Tuscaloosa United Baptist Association. Elder Andrews had been preaching the "Arminianism" according to some accusers within the Tuscaloosa Association. In 1818, Bethel Church was founded on general atonement principles, and Andrews was pastor of the church in 1832. Why was there a controversy all of a sudden? Bethel Church, being a member of the Tuscaloosa Assn., and knowing that United Baptists allowed differing views regarding Calvinism and Arminianism, allowed rigid Calvinists to join its membership. The Calvinists had become a majority and hurled charges at Andrews, and the church, by a bare majority of one, excluded Andrews and half the membership.

As a result of the exclusions, the North River Assn was formed strictly on general atonement principles.They adopted the following articles of faith.

CONFESSION OF FAITH.

We believe the Scriptures comprising the Old and New Testament, are the word of God, and that all Scriptures are given by inspiration of God, and are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work that they be infallably true, furnish the only sure and unerring standard of faith and practice for individuals and Churches. We believe that among the abundant truths which they contain, the following are important :

Art. 1. We believe that there is one God.

Art. 2. We believe that there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are One.

Art. 3. We believe the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and is called Emanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Art. 4. We believe that God created man upwright but he abode not in honor, but transgressed the law given him, fell under its penalty and his posterity has been and still is under its curse, and by reason of actual transgression superadded to his fallen nature is liable to eternal punishment, and from the dire calamities which sin has subjected him to, he, of himself, has no means by which to extricate himself and reinstate himself in the image and favor of God.

Art. 5. We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and second Adam, did represent just as many as the first, consequently made an atonement for all men. But the benefits of the atonement, spiritually are only received by the true believer.

Art. 6. We believe that notwithstanding our fallen and ruined condition, that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Sou that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. That He Himself bore our sins in His own body, on the tree of the Cross, that he was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification, ascended into Heaven where as the Mediator and high Priest our profession, he ever liveth to make intercession for us.

Art. 7. We believe that in view of all these provisions richly and abundantly furnished in the Gospel, in which are included His revealed will, and the preaching of the Gospel by men of like passions with ourselves, God commands all men every where to repent and believe the Gospel, promising Salvation to such as obey, and threatning damnation to such as believe not, love not and obey not our Lord Jesus Christ.

Art. 8. We believe that the Holy Ghost which is the comforter, has been sent into the world to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment, and to abide with the children of God as their guide and comforter.

Art. 9. We believe it is the duty of all men every where to repent and believe the Gospel; and of all who do to be immersed in water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and that faith, repentance and baptism^are prerequisite to membership.

Art. 10. We believe that all pious Christians, who are orderly members of their Churches, should be invited to communicate whenever tbe Lord's table is spread and opportunity is offered.

Art. 11. We believe it the duty of the disciples of Christ to obey all his commandments, and follow on to know the Lord, to live soberly, righteously, and Godly, in the present world, ever looking to Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our Faith, and give none occasion of offence, neither to Jew nor Gentile, nor to the Church of God. Their privilege is, to persevere in the ways of well-doing, through grace to glory to grow in grace and the knowledge of our lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, ever bearing in mind that our Lord hath said without me, ye can do nothing.

Art. 12. We believe that there will be a resurrection both of the just and unjust, and a general judgment after the reunion of soul and body, and judgment in righteousness will exalt and introduce the righteousness into life everlasting in Heaven, while it shall sentence the wicked into eternal banishment from God, and consign them to the lake where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.

The foregoing declaration is not intended to lord it over God's heritage, but regarding the New Testament as containing the law of the Lord. We would judge of every case either of doctrine, government, or discipline by that law and that alone.

In 1849 some sort of reconciliation occurred after Basil Manly Sr. preached a sermon that successfully  maneuvered the extremes of Calvinism (sovereignty in salvation) and Arminianism (free will and ability) that the two associations reconciled and eventually both adopted the New Hampshire Confession.

In a circular letter from the Minutes of The North River United Baptist Assn. of 1843 contains the following segment 

But Brethren, pause and think back, and take a view of the situation of the churches in this section of country, some ten or twelve years ago, and contrast the condition of the churches then and the condition of the churches now, and we see but a few years have rolled away since the churches were opposed to every benevolent institution of the day, yea the churches were generally in the lap of antinomianism, calvanistic [sic] doctrines in the highest order were promulgated from church to church.

Scarcely anything else to be heard, from those antinomian preachers, but such as this, that Jesus Christ made a particular or a special atonement for a definite number of Adam's apostate race, and the rest of mankind was past by and ordained to wrath for their sins. Besides all this—any and every other doctrine with those Antinomians was heresy. But Brethren look at the other side and see what a great difference. between the doctrine advanced by those Ministers that now belong to the North River Association. Those ministers preach now like they used to preach which was and is as follows: Christ Jesus made an atonement, general in its nature; that is he tasted death for every man: that the Holy Spirit reproves the world, that God commands all men every where to repent; and that He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, and also that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; but hath committed unto us the words of reconciliation; and lastly, That the Gospel is the Power of God, unto Salvation to every one that believeth;" and all this or such doctrine as this, were called heresy by those antinomians.¹

 ¹Minutes of North River United Baptist Association CONVENED AT SALEM MEETING HOUSE, TUSKALOOSA COUNTY, ALABAMA, On the I5th day of September, 1843

Pay close attention when it says " Those ministers preach now like USED TO PREACH which was and is as follows: "Christ Jesus made an atonement, general in its nature; that is he tasted death for every man:" If we are to believe this letter, it would mean that most ministers originally EMBRACED general atonement principles and were convinced of rigid Calvinism by the detractors, and then returned to the original general atonement doctrines. Also of note, is the first paragraph of the North Rive Constitution, which states 

"We, the united Baptist Churches of Jesus Christ, in Alabama, that believe the doctrine of a free salvation and a general atonement." Most of those "antinomians" went with the anti mission party and ceased to exist.