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A DENOMINATION REFINED BY FIRE
One thing done by the early leaders of our denomination was developing a Confession of Faith. Initially these statements of faith were designed to distinguish Baptists from other denominations. However, as time went on, they became the foundational beliefs that defined a whole denomination. Unfortunately, the Anglican and Roman Catholic Church viewed any group opposing their teachings as radical and dangerous to the unity of the church. Therefore, persecution of Baptists continued at the hands of the state and other religions. Despite their troubles, the Baptist movement continued to grow in England so that by 1626 there were five General Baptist congregations totaling 150 members (The Baptists, Anne DeVereaus and J. M. Stifle). As the General Baptists continued to expand, another group of Baptists were forming under the leadership of Henry Jessey and John Spilsbury. In 1640, these two men with Richard Blunt and others became convinced the only valid form of baptism was by immersion. Their reasoning was that baptism should symbolize the burial and resurrection of a person or the regenerative act of salvation (A History of the Baptists, Robert G. Torbet, Judson Press). However, during this time, only a small group of Mennonites in the Netherlands practiced this form of baptism. As the only member of the group who understood their language, Blunt was sent to the Netherlands to receive instructions in administering baptism by immersion. His group quickly adopted this method of baptism and became know as “Particular Baptists,” not because of water baptism but their belief in Calvinism or ‘Particular Redemption’. The General Baptists saw the significance of baptism by immersion and adopted it as well (History). The Particular Baptists drew up their Confession of Faith in 1644 in London (The London Confession of Faith) and is the first statement of what Baptists believe and was “an attempt to link Baptists with established Protestantism” (The Baptist). This was an important step in the growth and future success of our denomination. Up to this point, each congregation was autonomous, relying on their own resources and abilities. While the leaders recognized the usefulness and advantage of this setup, they also recognize its limits and drawbacks. The London Confession of Faith echoed this sentiment by stating that it is, “convenient to have council and help of one another in all needful affairs of the Church” (History). Unlike other denominations Baptist’s confessions were never intended to force its members to believe the same way. Instead, they fostered unity among its members by doing the following (History): a. Maintain purity of doctrine. b. Clarify and validate the Baptist position. c. Serve as a guide to the General Assembly or local association in counseling churches. d. Serve as a basis for fellowship within local churches, associations or a General Assembly. e. Discipline churches and members. The use of confessions in disciplining did not involve bodily harm as did confessions of other denominations. Instead discipline was restricted to excommunication of members or churches. This way, doctrinal purity was safeguarded while at the same time protecting the individual freedom to worship God as they chose (History). By 1655, Baptist’s churches numbered more than 150 and were still growing. The English civil wars between Parliament and the Monarchy were one of the major reasons for this growth. During these wars, Parliament formed an Army called, the New Model Army that consisted mainly of professional soldiers. The General placed in charge of this army was Oliver Cromwell, a devout Puritan and strong opponent of the king. Because of Cromwell’s strong religious belief, Baptists were allowed to evangelize within his ranks as well as cities and towns in the path of his army (History). By the end of the civil wars in 1661, Baptists had become a major force in England. Other denominations, especially the Presbyterians felt threatened by their expansion (History). Some of the bitterness held by the Presbyterians against the Baptist might have come from the Baptists success in keeping them from forming their own church-state in 1648. This is only an opinion on my part and has no historical support. In either case, the Presbyterians, Roman Catholics and others were instrumental in persuading Parliament to pass a series of measures designed to suppress nonconformists by excluding them from public office and forcing them out of schools and the Anglican Church (History). Baptists refused to agree to these Acts and continued to worship in the manner they had come to believed. Even before this time of renewed persecution, many Baptist preachers were already in prison for their refusal to stop preaching. One Presbyterian wrote of them that they ”preach and print and practice their heritical impieties openly;” (The Baptists). John Bunyan (Pilgrim Progress) was perhaps one of the most notable Baptist preachers imprisoned during the seventeenth century. Despite the attacks, the leaders of this new movement in Protestantism did not waver. As persecution of the early Church was the means of spreading the Gospel, so persecution became the instrument for the spread of our denomination. By the turn of the seventeenth century, Baptists had grown from two groups to four: The General Baptists, the Particular Baptists, the Seventh Day Baptists and a cross section of General and Particular Baptist (History). What made these Baptists strong was their unwavering belief that the church is a gathered community of redeemed men and women who had covenanted together in the belief that only God’s Word bind their conscience. Other foundational beliefs held by these groups was a belief that Christ had granted the local church authority in all matters of church and life; and to select ministers from within the local congregation according to their special gifts, ordaining them to preach, administer the ordinances, exercise discipline, and dispense pastoral care (History). When these beliefs are compared to who we are as a denomination today (regardless of the association or convention), we find many likenesses. We also find a denomination founded on the blood and sacrifice of faithful men and women, firm in their beliefs and the reality of God’s Word. May we regain and uphold such conviction and perseverance.
In Christ, Minister John Cobb
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