FORKS OF ELKHORN BAPTIST CHURCH DISMISSES NON CALVINIST MEMBERS

 The Forks of Elkhorn Baptist Church, which joined the Elkhorn Baptist Association in 1803, adopted the articles of faith of the Elkhorn Assn, which seems to have been a Calvinist association. It is also of interest that the North Bend Baptist Association was formed by churches from the Elkhorn Association, and North Bend was a Non Calvinist association. You can read about North Bend here. 

There must have been a defection of churches who disagreed with the Calvinism of the Elkhorn Assn. to form the North Bend Association, because in the same year (1803) the records of Forks of Elkhorn Baptist church shows that the Forks of Elkhorn Baptist Church agreed to give letters of dismission to members who could not agree with their articles of faith they had just adopted. The church was formed in 1800, but did not join the Elkhorn Assn. until 1803, at which time they adopted her articles of faith. Why was there a mixture of beliefs in the church(es)? Why did they decide to enforce Calvinism, forcing the North Bend churches to withdraw, as well as individual members of churches within the Elkhorn Assn.? Was it agreed to allow a variance of doctrine and then the Calvinist majority forced the issue? At this point, I do not have those answers. However, this does show, that even with Regular Baptist or Calvinist majority associations, that there were a sizeable number of Non Calvinists. In this case at least 11 entire churches, plus individual member of churches, who for whatever reason, withdrew to form the North Bend Association. The record shown below addresses this issue. Notice how it says "as now Established" referring to the articles of faith, which means the church was not originally founded on those articles.

 "It being motioned and seconded that a Question be put to this Church, whether they consider themselves a Church of the Elkhorn Association agreeable to the Confession of Faith as now Established by that Association agreed to and as demonstration of our profession have agreed to record the following Articles Viz,

1st We believe the scriptures of the old and new Testament to be the Infallible word of God, and the only rule of faith and practice
2ndly We believe in one self Existing God, and that there is three persons in the divine Essence or nature phraised in the Bible, by, God the Father, God the Son, & God the holy Spirit, and yet these three are but one God, not admitting of a Priority or Seniority, in the Godhead or Essence
3rdly We believe in the doctrine of the fall of man, the depravity of human nature, the Inability of the Creature, to recover it's self to life
4thly. We believe in the doctrine of Sovereign Grace, Justification by the righteousness of Christ alone, final preseverance of the Saints, resurrection of the dead and a General Judgment
5thly We believe the Joys of the righteous and punishment of the Wicked will be Eternal
6thly, We believe Baptism and the Lords Supper are ordinance of Jesus Christ and that Believers are the Subjects of these Ordinances and the true mode of Baptism is by Immersion

It is also agreed by the Church that any Member or Members not agreeing with the Confession as now Established may upon Application have letters of Dismission "


WILLIAM HICKMAN Moderator

[From W. W. Sweet, Religion on the American Frontier: The Baptists, 1931. pp. 273-303. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]

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