NORTH BEND & CAMPBELL COUNTY BAPTIST ASSNS. (KY) REJECT CALVINISM

 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 churches of North Bend in 1827. Their articles of faith  are shown below. (from the Minutes of the Campbell County Baptist Association, held at Brush Creek, Campbell County, Ky.September 21,1827). I can only assume that they were similar to North Bend's articles.  Notice that this association is descended from North Bend, which was, in name at least, a Regular Baptist association. Eventually, the North Bend and Campbell County associations reunited and are now known as the Northern Kentucky Baptist Association.

 

1st. That there is but one only living and true God, and that in this adorable God-Head there are three personal relations, as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and these three are one.

2nd. That the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, are the word of God, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

3rd. That by nature we are depraved, helpless, and fallen creatures.

4th. That Salvation, Regeneration, Sanctification, and Redemption are by the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that the saints will finally persevere through grace to glory.

5th. That Baptism by immersion is a command of God, and should be observed by all true believers.

                    6th. And that the salvation of the righteous and punishment of the wicked will                      be eternal.

In the minutes of 1904 (see here ) we read the following;

" In 1837, Eld. Lewis Conner deliverd the introductory sermon from, "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth." The next year Elder Robert Kirtley delivered the sermon from the words, "In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." These texts indicate the lines of controversy - one on the high plane of God's love towards sinners - the other upon the high plane of predestination. At the session in 1839, application was made by the "First Baptist Church of Covington" for admittance into the union, but it was rejected. Objections rested on two counts. In their articles were the words, "that man was originally created holy," and "that all who hear the gospel are called upon to repent and believe it, and that their guilt consists principally in their unbelief and opposition to the plan of grace which the gospel reveals." At this session, also, Forks of Gunpowder, Mud Lick, Crews' Creek and Salem, in their letters, preferred charges against Campbell County Association, and asked that she be dropped, as a corresponding body. They referred to Lewis Conner, Buford Rice, Stanton Aylor and Wm. Hume as witnesses. These stated that the Campbell County Association encouraged preaching, which they regarded unscriptural, and also for disorder in "receiving and baptizing persons in an unusual manner," after the business of the body closed. Bro. James Robinson regarded the preaching sound and scriptural, and as to the other matter, he thought our Association had no right to notice it. After hearing from the corresponding messengers from said body, the relation was broken off. And thus the "Predestinarians" scored a great victory on two counts - the Covington Church and the Campbell County Association. These actions seem to have had two effects on those councelling forbearance and peace; one was to make them more aggressive in extending the gospel, and the other to nerve them to steadfastness to what they thought right - realizing, doubtless, the extreme position to which they were being driven. Hence, at the next session Dry Creek and Middle Creek both ask for a reconsideration of dropping correspondence with Campbell County Association, where upon the relation was restored. First Church Covington was also admitted to the union. The record does not say whether any change was made in the articles of faith. There seems to have been no friction over these matters. But it was the calm before the storm. For following this session, in the fall of 1840, Mud Lick, Forks of Gunpowder, Bethel, Crews' Creek, Four Mile and Salem churches called a meeting and organized themselves into "the Salem Association of Predestinarian Baptists." 

There can be no doubt that North Bend had modified the Philadelphia Confession, and that most of its churches rejected major points of it. It can also be said that a minority leaned toward Calvinism proper, but was this always the case? It is doubtful, as stated above, North Bend reacted when they realized "the extreme position to which they were being driven". As the mission/anti mission controversy flared, evidently there was a push by some, who may have been closeted or quiet about calvinistic predestination, began to make a push, which was rejected. We know this because First Baptist's rejection was overturned, and they were accepted into the association, while correspondence was re-established with the Campbell County Association, who also rejected calvinistic predestination. It is also clear the the "predestinarians" within the North Bend Assn. pushed for the rejection of First Baptist and the Campbell Co. Assn. There can be no doubt as to why they pushed for such rejection. It was because both First Baptist and Campbell Co. preached "that all who hear the gospel are called upon to repent and believe it" and "high plane of God's love towards sinners".

Why would anyone object to the notion that all are called to believe? While many Calvinists claim that unconditional election does not negate man's responsibility, many of them did. They also objected to the word "called" in First Baptist's articles of faith. Any hint that God "called" anyone other than the "elect" or that the gospel address was meant for anything other than the comfort of the elect, rather than the alarming of sinners, had been resoundingly rejected time after time by Calvinists during the missions controversy. With the "predestinarians" gone, the rejections were rescinded. I might also add, that the Campbell County Baptist Assn. simply MUST have been Non Calvinist, else the "predestinarians" would not have considered it a victory to having them rejected.  Sometimes, the only way to discern a group's belief's is to look at their actions over their words.