Tuckaseigee Baptist Association (NC) NOT CALVINIST

 The Tuckaseige Baptist Association in North Carolina was founded in 1829. They record the history of Baptists in their first set of minutes, including the Particular and General Baptists of England, to the founding of the Philadelphia Association (Regular Baptists) and The Sandy Creek Association (Separate Baptists). They include the formation of the United Baptists. They however never adopted the title "United Baptist" so far as I can tell. They may have refused to participate in the union, or agreed with it, but just never took the name.

  The Tuckaseige Baptist Association in my estimation, is found to be Non Calvinist. Their articles of faith are as follows:

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.

2. We believe that 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 nature, and that justification, in the sight of God, is only obtained by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.

5. We believe the saints shall persevere in grace, and that none of them shall ever fall away and be lost.

6. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, and a general judgment; that the punishment of the wicked, and the joys of the righteous, shall be eternal.

7. We believe that baptism and the Lord's Supper, are ordinances instituted by Christ,and that true believers are the only proper subjects thereof.

8. We believe, the true mode of baptism is by, Immersion. 

9. We believe, that none have a right to administer the ordinances, but Ministers of the Gospel, regularly ordained to that office. 

 The first thing that is noticeably absent, is any mention of "election". No mention of total depravity, yet it does mention original sin. How they interpreted that i cannot tell. Even if they believed in imputed guilt, this has no bearing on whether they were Calvinist in the sense of calvinistic predestination. Most Arminians would affirm imputed guilt. We know they were not "Arminians" because article 5 makes clear that no saint  will ever be lost. 

The next thing noticeably absent is any mention of a "certain number" chosen to be elect, or particular atonement. No irresistible grace or unconditional election.. At best, they held to only two points of TULIP, according to these articles. However we have another clue. In a list of queries to the association we find the following from the minutes of 1829:

"How shall we receive members of the Freewill, separate Baptists, who have received them by baptism, since the separation?" Answer given by the association is " By a relation of the work of grace upon the heart, without re-baptizing them, (if the individuals are satisfied with their baptism.) And further, if a minister of that order, ordained by them, apply for fellowship, we recommend he be received as above. The church with whom he desires to unite, should call a presbytery, to examine his principles, and if he have come to the faith, and fills all other requirements, made in the word, receive him as such."

In this query and answer, we plainly see that the  Tuckaseige Baptist Association not only accepted the baptisms of Freewill Baptists, but also their ordinations. (I assume by the phrase "come to the faith" it referred to an acceptance of article 5). Accepting the ordination of a Non Calvinist, Freewill Arminian would never fly in a Calvinist association. Most Calvinist associations required rebaptism of Freewill Baptists, as they viewed them as "unorthodox". The acceptance of Freewill Baptists shows an overwhelming agreement in theology, soteriology and atonement views, the only thing lacking being eternal security. It is interesting that the Tuckaseige Baptist Association formed from Separate Baptist churches, who considered themselves United Baptists, hence the "separation" mentioned. The Freewill Separate Baptists were not considered a different group from the rest of the Separate Baptists before. This shows that many Separate Baptists remained Separate and never joined in the United movement.


 

 


 




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