GALLOWAY PRIMITIVE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION (SC) NOT CALVINIST

 The Galloway Primitive Baptist Association was formed in 1842. It formed as a result of individual members leaving churches in the Edgefield Association over the mission/antimission  controversy of the 1830's and 1840's. I can find no entire churches that left the Edgefield Association, but I presume there were enough individual members who were against the "new innovations" that some individual members left and formed new churches and a new association. The geographical area covered by the Galloway PB Association was identical to the Edgefield. Many churches in the Edgefield Association were founded by Elder Daniel Marshall, who has been proven to be a Non Calvinist. (See Memoirs of Elder Jesse Mercer, C.D. Mallory, 1832 pp 201-202) This is another instance of a Primitive Baptist association that was not Calvinist, as I have shown in other articles here and here. The articles of faith of the Galloway PB Association are clear. They are as follows.

 1st. We believe that the scriptures the Old and New Testament contains the revelation of God's will to man, and constitute the obligatory rule for man in all his relations, as a creature and a member of society.

2nd. We believe that the scriptures reveal the existence of one only living and true God, subsisting in three distinct persons, known by the name of the Father,Son and Holy Spirit; and these three are one in essence possessing equal attributes.

3rd. We believe that God who made all things created man upright, but man have sought out many inventions; that all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God, and that by the deeds of the law
no flesh living shall be justified before God.

 4th We believe that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life.

5th We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God was made flesh, and the he was born of
the Virgin Mary, that he suffered, bled, died, was buried and rose again, and is now at the right hand
of his Father, making intercession for his people, and will come again in a second time without a sin
offering unto salvation.

 6th. We believe that Jesus Christ in his perfect work magnified and made honorable the divine law, became the end of it for righteousness to every one that believeth, that God can be just and the justifier
of the ungodly that believe in Jesus, and whosoever will may come and take of| the waters of life freely.

7th. We believe in the regeneration of the soul by the spirit of God in its sanctification by his word, and in the eternal glorification of soul and body after the judgment day.

8th. We believe that the salvation of the sinner is by grace through faith, and not of works.

9th. We believe that good works are to be maintained for necessary purposes,since God has before ordained that his people should walk in them.

10th. We believe that all that the Father hath given the Son shall come to him, and will be raised up at the last day; and that those who sleep in Jesus, God will bring with him, that they may be ever with the Lord.

 11th. We believe. that there will be a general resurrection of the dead, and a general judgment, the result of which will be of a final reward to all men according to the deeds done in the body; and that the wick-
ed shall go away into everlasting punishment and the righteous into life eternal.

12th. We believe that the preaching of the gospel is an ordinance of God, and should be liberally supported by his people.

13th. We believe that baptism is an ordinance of the gospel, and consists in the immersion of the body of a sinner in water, upon his profession of faith in Christ Jesus.

14th. We believe that it is the duty of all baptized believers to unite together in the church relation.

15th. We believe that Jesus Christ has instituted a church on earth, and that separate bodies of baptized believers in Christ, associated together as local convenience, admits, upon the principles of the gospel for the worship of God and mutual edification of its members, are parts of this church and constitute churches of Christ.

16th We believe that each of these churches is independent in point of government and every other, though they should be united in harmony, in love and in common effort for mutual benefit, of the promotion of the cause of God.

17th We believe that the officers of Christ's churches are bishops and deacons; by bishops we understand elders and pastors, having the spiritual charge of a church. By deacons we understand those that have the charge of the temporalities of the church.

18th We believe that civil government is an ordinance of God, and that we should give it our support. 

First, there is absolutely NO mention of total depravity which is the bedrock doctrine of Calvinism in article 3. These articles simply state "all have sinned". While many Non Calvinist associations did mention total depravity, it was usually made clear in other articles that they did not interpret that to mean total inablilty. 

In article 4 it is simply a quote of John 3:16.This simply would never be an article of faith of a Calvinist association. It would be absurd to think otherwise. Likewise for article 6 stating "whosoever will". No Calvinist association would state their beliefs in such language.

In article 8, there is no mention of election at all, only that salvation is "by grace, through faith, not of works." In article 9 we see the words "before ordained." No one would deny that God foreordained that his people should walk in good works and holiness. This actually shows that the Galloway Primitive Baptists were not Calvinists, because there is no guarantee that God's people will always walk in holiness and good works. So to say "before ordained, is a hint that the word "ordained" in their view, does not necessarily imply a decree.

The only "calvinistic" sounding article to the modern ear, is in article  10. What is it that the Father has given the Son? Article 10 comes from John 6 verses 37-40 which says "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”  The Father gives the Son those who look to the Son and believes in him. Clearly the Galloway PB Association was expressing not only corporate election, but the eternal security of the believer as well. This article was their version of stating "the saints shall persevere in grace and not one will finally be lost" which is the common phrase in most articles of faith. Notice also that "gives" is present tense, not past. The scripture referenced here does not say "gave before the foundation of the world."There is no past tense predestinarian language here either. Article 10 IS in past tense thought, as spoken from a future event looking back. Those who the Fatehr gave the Son (those who believe) WILL be raised at the last day. It's guaranteed. This is simply the only way of interpreting this article in light of the other "whosoever will" articles this association chose to write in articles 4 and 6. I have never found a Calvinist association who used John 3:16 as an article of faith, nor has there been any who used the ophrase "whosoever will" make come "freely".

It's also interesting that the Galloway Association in article 12 states that "preaching" should be "liberally supported" which means preacher/pastors should get paid or have their needs met in some way. Most Primitive Baptists rejected paid pastors and called them "hirelings".

Those who left the Edgefield Association carried with them the same theology, but were opposed to any structure above the associational level, thus becoming "Primitive". The Galloway PB Assn covered the same area as the Edgefield Baptist Association. The Edgefield Association had a large number of churches founded by Daniel Marshall, the associate of Shubal Stearns of the Sandy Creek Association. Much of this is recorded in The History of Edgefield Baptist Association 1807-1957 by Hortense Woodson (see snips below). It is interesting that in this book, it is shown that "in 1772 they were called Particular Baptists by Morgan Edwards but later they proved more "general" in their faith and practice" in 1800. It is hard for me to believe that being "called" Particular Baptists, proves anything, as Edwards gives no proofs, articles or confessions of faith, etc, yet in the span of only 28 years they were then considered the opposite of Particular Baptists (see pic below).  It is beyond dispute that Elder Marshall was Non Calvinist. He founded no Particular Baptist churches. This is boldly stated both in Paschal's histories and in Jesse Mercer's memoirs. (Memoirs of Elder Jesse Mercer, C.D. Mallary, 1832, pp.201)  On a side note, Morgan Edward's seemed to believe in a pretribulation rapture making him a premillenialist. If you're interested in reading a short article of that see here.  


 

 


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