Unto These Hills

 The North Ben Baptist Association, formed in 1803 in the area of Campbell County (including parts that now lie in Kenton Co.). As of yet, I have not found a copy of the original articles of faith. However, it can be discerned that the churches within the association were Regular Baptists, but with some distinctions, The minutes of 1876 page 12 state that "... having been constituted on the Philadelphia Confession of Faith, with certain exceptions, and the membership being so little acquainted with this document, as thus modified, the churches desired articles of faith more tangible and available for her members ." The 1876 minutes can be read here  . Once again, we see that many Regular Baptists, modified, or deleted the sections with which they disagreed. It is my goal here to show that this association rejected the portions that dealt with unconditional election and limited atonement, and irresistible grace.  The Campbell County Baptist Assn. was formed from churche...

 The following is my summary of Graham Beynon's research into early Baptist history in England. According to Graham Beynon, an English pastor, leader in the Fellowship Independent Evangelical Churches, professor at Oak Hill Seminary, London, with a PhD from St Andrew's University. Below is a summary of his writings on Baptist history in England in the 17th century. You can read his full article here  . 1)  In 1626 there were 150 General Baptists "0" Particular Baptists. Obviously the Generals were more numerous.  So how "early" do you consider early Baptists?  2) Particular Baptists first appeared in 1633. 3) From 1640 to 1660 many Baptists accepted preaching positions in the Anglican Church. (Seems strange to me, but ok) did they baptize those in the Anglican Church?? 4) By 1660 there were 130 Particular Baptist churches and 110 General baptist churches. The Generals tended to have a larger congregations tho, so numerically, it is still very poss...

 The " Gasper River Association Record " records the obituary of Elder Benjamin Tolbart (Tolbert) on page 31. Tolbert is a known Non Calvinist who founded Hazel Creek and Antioch Baptist churches (and others) with Elder James Keel (or Kiel), a known Non Calvinist from the Holston Assn. You can read about these two men and the churches they founded here  . Both of these men and the churches they founded were in the Gasper River Assn. Elder Tolbert is listed as a messenger from Sandy Creek Church to the association meeting of 1818 (his name is misspelled "Talbot"). In 1825 (page 12) it reports "The preaching on Sabbath by Elders R. Rutherford, D.L. Mansfield, and Tolbert  brought a refreshing season. A number of persons, weeping for sin came forward and knelt at the stand, requesting the prayers of God's people." This is obviously an "invitation" or "altar call", not a practice known in most Regular Baptist (Calvinist) churches.  On p...

  A History of Unity Baptist Church, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky / by Otto A. Rothert   Unity Baptist Church, founded sometime between 1812 and 1814, like many other Non Calvinist Baptist churches, adopted articles of faith, which today may sound calvinistic to the modern ear. Later, in 1892, they adopted new articles of faith. Did Unity change their doctrine? No. Both sets of articles, as well as the history, can be seen in " A History of Unity Baptist Church, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky , by Otto A. Rothert. The articles of faith are shown on pages 46-49 and can be read here  or here  . As I have shown in numerous articles, the phrase in the original articles " chose his people in Christ before the foundation of the world " is found in a vast number of articles of faith of Non Calvinist Baptist churches, and is straight from scripture. Article 3 affirms original sin, however there is something missing when compared to most Calvinist articles of faith, which w...

This is in response to a Calvinist named Michael Shultz who became pastor of a historic Baptist church (Antioch in Logan County Kentucky). Shultz took their original articles of faith, convinced the church they were founded upon Calvinist principles, and either lied or with held pertinent information. Shultz claims to be a church historian, yet he knows nothing about Baptist terminology of the period. When he saw the word "presbytery" in the AoF, he claimed that meant a plurality of elders, or an elder ruled church. An elder ruled church most of the time, does away with congregational polity. If that is done, it ceases to be a Baptist church. That is NOT what a Baptist presbytery is now or 200 years ago. A "presbytery" is merely two or more elders coming together from OTHER CHURCHES in an association, to ordain someone to the ministry.  Shultz also took the article on election which states " We believe in the doctrine of election, and that God chose his people ...

 Strong Place Baptist Church founded in 1848, Brooklyn New York, is found to be Non Calvinist at its founding. The articles of faith, clearly demonstrate a desire to not only state John 3:16, which implies they held to general atonement, but also have no mention of election, which is rare considering even most Non Calvinist articles mention it. Article IV seems to state a corporate view of election. Read CLOSELY how one is "chosen". " That all who obey the gospel... that in consequence (not of their own merit)... are regenerated by the Holy Spirit ." Regeneration occurs as a consequence of obeying the gospel (believing). If this were not enough, when sent a copy of these articles,and being specifically asked about Article IV, Dr. Roger Olsen a leading Arminian Baptist theologian, said " Any good Arminian could heartily affirm that statement . Roger "  It seems that many Baptists in the North toned down the Philadelphia Confession, or outright deleted the ...

MINUTES OF THE OLD ZION ASSOCIATION OF UNITED BAPTISTS, OF EASTERN KENTUCKY AND WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA, 1848-1880 Compiled by John Sparks   The Old Zion Association of United Baptists was organized at Salem Meetinghouse in Wayne County, Virginia (now West Virginia) on the first Saturday in November 1848. Though “given off” as an “arm” of the Paint Union Association of United Baptists of eastern Kentucky, most of the earliest membership of Zion Association actually more or less represented churches and ministers formerly connected with the Teays Valley Baptist Association in what is now West Virginia who were disaffected by both Teay’s Valley Association’s adoption of organized financial support for foreign and domestic missions and the Pocatalico Primitive Baptist Association’s adoption of extreme Calvinistic predestinarian views. Elder Goodwin Lycans, an ordained minister in the Teay’s Valley Association since 1827, was the primary leader in this United Baptist m...

 The Ketocton Association of Regular Baptist Churches was founded in 1766. Smith Creek Regular Baptist Church, est. 1756, is the oldest Regular church still in existence in Virginia. They applied for membership in the Philadelphia Association in 1762, but in 1765 they withdrew, along with other churches to form the Ketocton Regular Baptist Association. When they adopted their AoF, they dropped the "certain number" clause found in so many other AoF..  Ketocton Articles of Faith    1) We believe that the fall of mankind in Adam led to all men’s guilt and condemnation, together with their entire and universal depravity, by which they were utterly alienated from God and are unable in and of themselves to turn to Him. 2) We believe that God, from the beginning or in eternity, chose His people in Christ unto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ; all of which are set fo...

 The Coosa Baptist Assn. is the OLDEST association in northwest Georgia, founded in 1835 from churches that were even older. There has never been a division among them with regards to doctrine. they continue to this day, but are now known as the Northwest Baptist Association. Articles of Faith of the Coosa Association  Article first: We believe in the one true and living God and that there are a trinity of persons in the godhead, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost; and that there are not three gods but one. Article second: We believe that the scriptures of the old and new Testaments are the word of God and the only rule of faith and practice. Article third: we believe in the fall of Adam, the corruption of human nature, the impotency and unwillingness of man to recover himself from his depraved state. Article fourth: We believe in the everlasting love of God to his people, and that he chose them in Christ before the foundation of the world, that they should be ho...

 The Friendship Baptist Assn. was formed in 1861. This association was formed from churches in the Tennessee River Assn. The Tennessee Association was formed from churches in the French Broad Association. The French Broad Association was formed from churches in the Holston Association.  Articles of faith of the Friendship Association are virtually the same as French Broad and Tennessee River. Friendship would be the granddaughter of the French Broad Association whose history can be read here  and the great granddaughter of the Holston Association. All of these associations have proven to be Non Calvinist. Since the churches who founded the Friendship Ass. came out of the Tennessee River Assn., we know that it was organized as a Non Calvinist/Provisionist association.  ARTICLES OF FAITH. 1. "We believe in one only living and true God, and that there are three persons in the Godhead : the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that these three are one. I 2. We believ...

 The Tennessee River Baptist Assn. was formed in  1830. Some of the churches came from the French Broad Assn. which has proven to be Non Calvinist. For the history of the French Broad Assn. see here . The attached pic is from the History of the Tennessee River Baptist Association by Elder Jno. S. Smiley.  Articles of Faith (Same as French Broad at their founding)    Article 1 . We believe in the only living and true God, and that there are three persons in the Godhead — the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that these three are one in substance, and equal in power and glory. 2. We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the word of God, and the only rule of Faith and practice. 3. We believe in the doctrine of Original Sin. 4. We believe in man's impotency to recover himself from the fallen state he is in, by his own free will and ability. 5. We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God, only by the imputed righteousne...

 Every "historian" I have read or heard that is living today, makes a big fuss that not only were Regular Baptists  all staunch Calvinists, but the majority of the Separate Baptists were as well. What do their OWN Calvinist historians and sources say of the Separates?    In Robert Boyle C. Howell’s 1857 history of early Baptists in Virginia" he records that as early as 1769 the " Ketocton, a Regular, or Calvinistic Association in Northern Virginia, addressed the Sandy Creek, a Separate , or Arminian Association" in Southern Virginia and North Carolina about a possible union. ( Robert Boyle C. Howell, The Early Baptists of Virginia (Philadelphia: The Bible and Publication Society, 1857), 45-46. HUH?  Howell was the second president of the SBC, certainly claimed by Calvinists as one of their own.  G.W. Paschal, a Calvinist Baptist historian says. " The three churches that came to the French Broad from the Holston Association and their minister...

 In 1934, in Charlotte North Carolina, A baptist evangelist was holding a tent revival. Every night the tent was filled to overflowing. One night, two young teen aged boys came by, heard the preaching and decided to check it out. As the neared the tent, they realized every seat was taken. They turned and walked away. One man, whose name we will never know, was an usher at the revival, having volunteered from a local Baptist church, helping people to their seats. How did this man end up being an usher in a tent revival? Let's go back to April 1855. A man named Edward Kimball taught a boys Sunday School class at the Congregational church in Boston. The class was full of anxious teen aged boys, unruly at times, but Edward Kimball made a commitment that he would seek out every single boy and present the gospel in a way that related that Christ had come for each one. One of the boys worked in his uncle's shoe store, and Kimball decided to pay him a visit at work. Later, Kimball reca...