Excerpts of Philadelphia Baptist Association

From Gillette's compilation of the minutes of the Philadelphia Association (1707-1807)

• 1753, p. 70: "Concluded, that any brother called by any of our churches to exercise his gift, when approved of at home, should, before his ordination, visit other churches, and preach among them, and obtain from those churches concurring evidence of their approbation, that it is proper and convenient that such may be ordained."
• 1755, p. 72: "Appointed, that one ministering brother from the Jerseys, and one from Pennsylvania, visit North Carolina: the several churches to contribute to bear their expense."
• October 1766, p. 97: "After prayer, it was moved and agreed: That it is most necessary for the good of the Baptist interest, that the Association have at their disposal every year a sum of money. Accordingly it was further agreed: That the churches, henceforth, do make a collection every quarter, and send the same yearly to the Association, to be by them deposited in the hands of trustees ; the interest whereof only to be by them laid out every year in support of ministers travelling on the errand of the churches, or otherwise, as the necessities of said churches shall require."
• October 1771, p. 119: "A motion being made in the Association, relative to the appointment of an Evangelist, it was universally agreed that such an appointment promised much advantage to the Baptist interests. Five ministers were put in nomination for the ofiice, viz : Rev. Messrs. John Gano, Benjamin Miller, Samuel Jones, David Jones, Morgan Edwards. The choice fell on the last, which he accepted on the conditions then specified."
• October 1772, p. 124: "The thanks of the Association were returned to brother Morgan Edwards, for his services in travelling and visiting the churches to the southward ; and the interest of the Association fund, for the last year, voted him, together with £6 more, made up by the brethren present, and sent him by Mr. Samuel Jones."
• 1773, p. 128: "Also a letter from the Quekuky Association, in North Carolina, thanking us for our care in sending messengers among them..."
• October 1773, p. 130: "The usefulness of a travelling minister on this continent appearing more manifest by trials, and Brother Morgan Edwards declining the office, it was agreed, that Brother John Gano be a messenger of the churches for this year ; and that the treasurer do pay him the interest of the Association fund, to help defraying his expenses." (Edwards was chosen as an evangelist of the association in 1771, and had travelled so in 1772)
• May 1774, p. 135: "A motion being made, that Brother John Gano should give an account of his travels to the southward : he accordingly did, by which it appears he has been indefatigable in his labors, and that a minister, travelling annually, according to the plan proposed, may answer very valuable purposes."
• October 1774, p. 142:  "Voted, That Brother Gano be paid by the treasurer the interest due on the Association fund, towards defraying his expenses in travelling the last year : accordingly he received £12."
• October 1772, p. 124: "A certificate was given to Brother David Jones, who intends to visit the western tribes of Indians the next winter, to ascertain his good standing with us. Also, at his request, a motion was made to recommend his case to the respective churches, as he must be at the expense of paying his interpreter £5 per month; and the contribution made to be sent by their messengers to the next Association. If not wanted, the money will be returned to the donors."

Dark ominous cloud

"American Evangelicalism is a dark ominous cloud on the horizon. It is a belief that embodies everything that is not orthodox Christianity, because it disregards holiness for happiness, substitutes the Gospel with gimmicks, exchanges theology for theatrics, disregards evangelism for entertainment, replaces overseers with opinions, embraces palatable, innocuous stories in lieu of powerful inspiring sermons, and does not promote sound churches, but social clubs." -- Sonny Hernandez

Sections of The Sacred Harp, by early editions

These are the divisions of The Sacred Harp, by editions that were published by B. F. White in his lifetime.

The first edition of The Sacred Harp was published by Benjamin Franklin White and Elisha J. King in 1844. It was expanded in 1850 and 1860, then revised in 1870 (an appendix added, but also some songs removed).

1844 

• Cover pages: 1 - 2
• Preface: 3
• Introduction: 5
• Rudiments of music: 5 - 22
• General observations: 23 - 24
• Dictionary of musical terms: 25
• Pages of music: 27-262
• Index: 263ff.

1850 

• Cover pages: 1 - 2
• Preface: 3
• Introduction: 5
• Rudiments of music: 5 - 22
• General observations: 23 - 24
• Dictionary of musical terms: 25
• 1844 pages of music: 27-262
• 1850 appendix: 263 - 366
• Index: 367ff. 

1860 

• Cover pages: 1 - 2
• Preface: 3
• Introduction: 5
• Rudiments of music: 5 - 22
• General observations: 23 - 24
• Dictionary of musical terms: 25
• 1844 pages of music: 27-262
• 1850 appendix: 263 - 366
• 1860 appendix: 367 - 429
• Index: 430 - 432

1870

• Cover pages: 1 - 2
• Preface: 3
• Introduction: 5
• Rudiments of music: 5 - 22
• General observations: 23 - 24
• Dictionary of musical terms: 25
• 1844 pages of music, with new songs: 27-262
• 1850 appendix: 263 - 366
• 1860 appendix: 367 - 429
• 1870 appendix: 430 - 477
• Index: Pages 478ff. 

E. J. King died in 1844. B. F. White died in 1879.

A Guiding Principle, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• A Guiding Principle Harming Many Churches and Ministries -- "A clear example of this mistake regarding pragmatism is the fact that many Christians have accepted the false and unbiblical idea that to reach the world with the Gospel, we must use music that conforms to the world’s music."
• American pastors are older, and getting older, than ever -- "...there are now more full-time senior pastors who are over the age 65 than under the age of 40."
• Books & Reading – select quotes -- "Some books are undeservedly forgotten, none are undeservedly remembered."
• How “Belonging before Believing” Redefines the Church -- "“Unbelievers” become “seekers,” rather than non-Christians."
• Ideology and the Corruption of Language -- "Ideology disdains argument; people with principled positions embrace it warmly and engage in it gladly."
• Ministers Sailing under False Colours -- "Upon the plea of spiritual liberty, of late years certain teachers who have abjured the faith of the churches which employ them, have nevertheless endeavored, with more or less success, to retain their offices and their emoluments."
• Obituary - Robert L. Sumner, Evangelist, Author, Editor -- "He served as a balance to much of the contemporary doctrine and practices of today."
• Paedofaith and Presumptive Regeneration -- "I once read about a British politician who was said to have imbibed socialism with her mother’s milk."
• Private Offences by A. W. Chambliss of Alabama -- "What is the duty of the aggrieved?"
• Reflecting On One Very, Very Strange Year At Uber -- "It's a strange, fascinating, and slightly horrifying story that deserves to be told while it is still fresh in my mind, so here we go."
• Religious freedom prompts Baptist professors to oppose Muslim travel ban -- "An organization of Baptist college and seminary professors is on record stating “concern and opposition” to President Trump’s plan to restrict travelers from predominantly Muslim nations from entering the United States."
• Scientific evidence that you probably don’t have free will -- "But not everyone agrees with the conclusions of these findings."
• Supreme Court rules for disabled child and her dog in lawsuit case -- "When the girl was the age of five, a pediatrician prescribed Wonder the Goldendoodle to the girl and her family to help her with daily tasks."
• The Main Point of the Christian Doctrine of Sin: We Are All “Damaged Goods” -- "The biblical-traditional-orthodox doctrine that the whole of creation, including “everyone born” (with the sole exception of Jesus Christ), is “damaged goods” is a linchpin doctrine of the Christian faith because its denial leads inevitably to a denial of the universal need for redemption—“redemptionless Christianity” is an oxymoron."
• When Do You Leave a Church? -- "There are certainly legitimate reasons to leave a church and sadly, it sometimes become necessary or even a duty to find a more biblically faithful body."

Miracles and compassion

There is an interesting side discussion to the record of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead -- the Gospel of John, Chapter 11. Whether Lazarus was in Abraham's bosom, Paradise or Heaven (in whatever manner one interprets them, whether they are all the same or not) Lazarus must have been in a better, more peaceful, less painful place. 

We tend to interpret most of the miracles of Jesus as acts of compassion that made life better for the one who benefited from the miracle. And certainly the Bible suggests that in many places.

• Matthew 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
• Matthew 15:32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.
• Matthew 20:34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.
• Mark 1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
• Mark 9:22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
• Luke 7:13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

In this case of Lazarus, though, it seems the beneficiary was not particularly Lazarus -- who came back from a better place to a worse place -- but his family and friends who mourned his loss, and especially those who believed on Jesus because of the miracle (Cf. John 12:10-11). What say ye?

Health care, not iPhone

With the repeal and replacement of Obamacare looming near, House Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz of Utah says to low-income Americans: Buy health care, not iPhones

Chaffetz said, “Americans have choices, and they’ve got to make a choice, so maybe rather than getting that new iPhone they just love and spending hundreds of dollars on that they should invest in their own health care.”

Some are offended by what Chaffetz said, and have raised one item that appears to be a legitimate complaint: “As a member of Congress, Chaffetz is eligible to receive health care and a smartphone from the government.”

So, as one who receives neither health care nor a smartphone from the government -- and has chosen to have neither -- I say that Chaffetz is right that we make choices and many times we make the flashy choice because we are depending on someone else to make the dependable choice.

Based on PBS reporting of poor and low-income in April 2015, I am low-income -- so I am not talking out of some rich side of my mouth.

Don’t preach with props, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources. (I try to confirm the sources that I give, but may miss on occasion; please verify if possible.)

"Don’t preach with props unless you’re good enough to preach without them." -- David Allen

"Paedobaptism reverses the Great Commission from baptizing and adding believers to church fellowship to baptizing and adding unbelievers to church membership." -- Mark W. Fenison

"Sacred cows make the best hamburgers." – Copied; sometimes attributed to Mark Twain, though not likely by him; popularized by Abbie Hoffman as "Sacred cows make the tastiest hamburger."

"History doesn't repeat itself but it often rhymes." -- Usually attributed to Mark Twain, but no source has been found

"History," it has been said, "does not repeat itself. The historians repeat one another." -- Max Beerbohm

"I’d give my right arm to be ambidextrous." -- Yogi Berra

"What if the hokey pokey really is what it’s all about?" -- Unknown

"You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks." -- usually attributed to Winston Churchill, but also to others, including Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Also, "You will never reach your destination if you kick at every dog that barks.")

"People who enjoy meetings should not be in charge of anything." -- Thomas Sowell

"Life is a mess. And theology must be lived out in the midst of that mess." -- Chuck Colson

"Pride: Avoiding necessary character changes by expecting others to fit their ideas and feelings around mine." -- copied

"If the voice of scripture is not the voice of the church, then the voice of the church is substituted for the voice of Christ." -- Alistair Begg

A Double Standard?

Muslims held to double standard in cases of faith-based violence -- "Three-quarters (75 percent) of the public say that self-described Christians who commit acts of violence in the name of Christianity aren’t really Christian, while half (50 percent) of the public say the same about people who claim to be Muslim and commit religiously-motivated violence."

Found this "double standard" article in the Baptist New Global feed. I don't think there's anything unexpected here. A poll taken in a country that is nominally Christian and of predominantly Christian heritage will normally expect (yes, know) that Christians who commit acts of violence are not following what they have been taught in churches. It is not unusual then that they would question their Christian faith. On the other hand, the same folks, generally, don't know or understand as much about what is taught in mosques and have at least heard that some do support violence against "infidels."

What is a Collateral Relative, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• What is a Collateral Relative? -- "I am a total novice as far as family trees go, and I need to know..."
• The Water That Divides: Baptism and Baptists -- "Baptism divides Baptists (and baptistic churches using Packer’s definition in the quote above) from almost all other denominations."
• The Story of Those Little Communion Cups, Whatever Those Are Technically Called -- "When we share a cup, we proclaim that we’re all united in one Christ, not only with each other, but with the saints throughout space and time."
• The Shack — The Missing Art of Evangelical Discernment -- "The popularity of this book among evangelicals can only be explained by a lack of basic theological knowledge among us — a failure even to understand the Gospel of Christ."
• The Pronouns of the Gospel -- "As Christians, we may not be surfing the waters of current gender theory and practice...But we do know the importance of the pronouns we use, not just for what they say about our gender, but what they say about who we are and where we belong?"
• The Beauty of House Church: Primitivism -- "Throughout the history of the Christian church, believers have often found themselves drawn back to the New Testament Church as depicted in the book of Acts and the epistles."
• Millennials, ‘casual’ sex is not casual. It’s immature and selfish. -- "The title of a recent article in USA Today says it all: “Survey: Sleeping together before a first date is a-OK, but cracked phones are a put off”."
• McCall: Pop culture conquers politics -- "Reporters help fuel celebrity infatuation by covering the political rants of the glitterati as news."
• Leaked Emails: Dems Think Obama’s Nonprofit Army Destroyed The Democratic Party -- "Some Democrat organizers blame former President Barack Obama’s grassroots nonprofit for helping destroy the Democrat party, leaked emails show."
• First Lady Attacked For Reciting Lord's Prayer at Rally -- "...melania read the 'our father' like a whore in confession after a night of escorting..."
• FBI: Investigation into teen burned alive yields gun, drug arrests -- "Officials say the operation focuses on Panola County and is a byproduct of the deep investigation that has come through the probe into the death of Jessica Chambers, a 19-year-old woman burned alive on Dec. 6, 2014, in Courtland."
• Candice Wiggins says much of WNBA is gay, and she was bullied for being straight -- "I didn’t like the culture inside the WNBA, and without revealing too much, it was toxic for me."
• A Church Discipline Primer -- "I understand the reluctance to practice church discipline...Still, this reluctance...may suggest that we believe ourselves to be wiser and more loving than God."

Baptist moving: considering two theological shifts

A few days ago on Facebook Baptist historian Bart Barber called attention to Here’s The Point: Calvinists and Non-Calvinists in the SBC by Tom Nettles. In it Nettles asserts that “the loss of Calvinism in issues concerning election, depravity, and effectual calling paralleled the loss of inerrancy and soteriological exclusivity” in the Southern Baptist Convention. He posits that “Traditional” non-Calvinistic soteriology leads to bad theology. Barber disagreed, stating that Nettles’ piece was “Better proof that Calvinism can lead to bad polemics than that non-Calvinism leads to bad theology.”

I agree with Bart Barber. Nettles’ thesis does not prove that the shift away from Calvinism caused or was a major contributor to the rise of “liberalism” in the Southern Baptist Convention. If the move to “Traditional” soteriology were the cause, then similar liberalism should be found in other Baptist groups which were connected to Southern Baptists when the soteriological shift occurred.[i] Barber notes: “Correspondence ≠ Causality. Yes, Southern Baptists moved away from Calvinism in the same time frame as when they moved away from biblical inerrancy, but at the same time the BMAA, ABA, IBFs, and other Baptists in exactly the same milieu moved away from Calvinism without moving away from biblical inerrancy at all.” It would not be hard to prove that the churches of the ABA, BMAA, and IBFs – most of which were part of the Convention until early in the 20^th century – all moved to the same soteriological position that rejected unconditional election, limited atonement and irresistible grace. Yet none of them suffered from the same kind of liberal infection as the Southern Baptists. Since all these groups were moving along the same soteriological trajectory as Southern Baptists, it is hard to blame either the trajectory or the results on Southern Baptist theologians.[ii]

I agree with some of the things Nettles states in the essay, but disagree with his general conclusion.[iii]

This subject also brought to my mind the question, “What was/were the cause/causes of the Baptist shift from a fervent stand on the doctrines of particular grace to a dominant view embracing free will and general atonement?”

If I understand Bart correctly, he believes that the Baptist shift was part of a larger general cycle within Christianity in the United States. He explains, “I think Christianity tends to alternate phases of more intellectual and more emotional aspects of its existence. Together with the rise of Pentecostalism, I think the move away from an arid Calvinism represents a turn toward a more practical or emotional Christianity.”

I accept the usefulness of that observation. Moving beyond the general trend in Christianity, what specifically was at work on the majority of U. S. Baptists – the Regular Baptists who held the doctrines of grace (also known as TULIP or Calvinism)?

• The possibility that some of these Regular Baptists nominally held the doctrines of grace, but were not consistent, clear and firm in their teaching of them.
• The anti-creedalism of the Separate Baptists, who merged with these Regular Baptists toward the end of the 18^th and beginning of the 19^th centuries. Though they were generally predestinarians like the Regular Baptists, they would not commit to “man-made” confessions like the Second London or Philadelphia Confessions.
• The influence of the evangelism of revivalists like Finney and Moody on these Regular Baptists. Probably the Frontier Revivalism of the early 1800s should also be included. Those who came into Baptist churches from these revivals might be predisposed to favor such methods and find them more compatible with a “free will” theology.
• The removal from these Regular Baptists of an aggregation of doctrinally strong predestinarian churches in the so-called missions/anti-missions schism. [iv]
• The “Spirit” of the American experiment, emphasizing freedom and individualism, seemed to fit better into a system of free will than unconditional election – influencing some of these Regular Baptists either directly (causes change) or indirectly (causes re-evaluation).

In the above suggestions I did not include anything like “changing views due to the study of the Bible/New Testament.” I do not exclude the fact that these people changed from a view they thought the Bible did not teach to a view they thought the Bible did teach. Most would earnestly profess that to be their case. But in the above list I am suggesting outside means that may have been at work with, without or in addition to this factor. Perhaps these ideas might help in considering the history of the shift from high predestinarianism to libertarian free will among a majority of Baptists in America.

---

[i] It is interesting to see in Baptist history that some of the non-cooperative (with the conventions) Old School predestinarian churches/associations were also moving to a more open, less-restrictive theology of salvation near the end of the 19th century.

[ii] For example, Nettles indicts Southern Baptist theologian W. O. Carver in his essay. Nettles says that Carver’s influence moved Southern Baptists “beyond Calvinism” also led them “beyond inerrancy.”

[iii] I would attribute part of the rise of liberalism in the Southern Baptist Convention to what I call “shift of center.” The extremes on either end of a group of churches keep a tension on the center – as extremes break off, the center shifts. The loss of the “anti-mission” churches was a shift of center that could affect the SBC, even though it occurred prior to its constitution. Another of these shifts was the loss of many Landmark and Gospel Missions churches at the end of the 19^th and beginning of the 20^th centuries.  Many Fundamentalists withdrew early in the 20th century. These churches agreed or tended to agree with general position on the atonement, so their removal did little to nothing to shift the SBC view of salvation.  But Landmarkers and Fundamentalists were leading contenders against liberal viewpoints – so their presence kept the tension pulled toward conservative and their loss shifted the center away from conservative – leaving a void for more liberal views to take a firm hold. Landmarkers and Fundamentalists have proved in the 20^th century that they can be progressive – but they hardly ever can be liberal! When Daniel Parker contended against the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions innovation he declared, “These errors have nearly all originated amongst the wise and learned.” The later errors of liberalism – denying biblical inerrancy, the exclusivity of the Christian faith, ex nihilo creation and such like – would rise out of the centers of education in the Southern Baptist Convention rather than the churches. The “Conservative Resurgence” is a high point in Southern Baptist history that reversed this liberal trend. Despite the shifts of center and rise of liberalism, the SBC was strong enough at the core that it could bring the theology of its churches to the front rather than fall to the liberalism as had every other major mainline denomination in the United States.

[iv] The anti-missions/missions split was an ecclesiological/methodological schism. Daniel Parker’s A Public Address to the Baptist Society (1820) is good evidence of this. He argues against the Baptist Board of Foreign Missions on ecclesiological rather than soteriological grounds. Not-so-much-Calvinists (e.g. J. R. Graves) and Non-Calvinists (e.g. Ben M. Bogard) would later take similar positions against mission boards and methods. Both The Kehukee Declaration (1827) and The Black Rock Address (1832) – documents criticizing the missions movement – also focus on matters of practice rather than soteriology. Across the span of time from the pointing out of problems with the “mission system” to the point of division, the “anti-missions” side of the controversy consistently perceived the problem to be the adoption of practices not justified by the teachings of the New Testament. This does not preclude the fact that the “anti-missions” side might have more appeal to the extreme for predestinarianism while the “missions” side might have more appeal to the extreme against predestinarianism, so that these extremes naturally gravitated to one side or the other.

Customs of Primitive Churches, Office of Minister, continued

Customs of Primitive Churches, the Office of Minister, continued

6. To read the scripture, viz. in public; As his custom was, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read, Luk. iv. 16-19. Paul and Barnabas went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, and after reading &c. Act. xiii. 14-15, 27, ch. xv. 21. When this epistle is read among you cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans, and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea, Col. iv. 16. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren, I Thes. v. 27.

7. To preach; But we will give ourselves continually to the ministry of the church &c. Act. vi. 4. Or ministry, let us wait on our ministry, Rom xii. 7-8. Go, preach the gospel, &c. Mar. xvi. 16. How can they hear without a preacher? Rom. x. 14.

8. To break bread; Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples; likewise also the cup, Math. xxvi. 26-27. On the first day of the week the disciples came together to break bread—and when Paul had broken bread &c. Act. xx. 7-11. And they continued daily in the apostles doctrine and breaking bread &c. Act. ii. 42.

9. To dismiss, and bless the people; While he sent the people away, &c. When he had sent the multitudes away, Math. xiv. 22-23. Else when thou shalt bless how shall he, that occupieth the room of the unlearned, say Amen? 1 Cor. xiv. 16. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, &c. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, on this wise shall ye bless the children of Israel, The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious to thee; the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace, &c. Num. vi. 23-26.

10. To govern, viz. in conjunction with the ruling elders. The elders who rule well—especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 1 Tim. v. 17. Remember them who have the rule over you, and have spoken to you the word of God, &c. Obey them who have the rule over you, &c. Heb. xiii. 7, 17.

11. To take into the church, viz. to admit members, and restore the excommunicated. See the manner under the propositions which relate to the subjects. I give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven Math. xvi. 19, xviii. 18. Ye that are spiritual [the ministers, 1 Cor. xiv. 37.] restore such a one, Gal. vi. 1. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive, 2 Cor. ii. 7, 10.

12. To bind or retain sin, viz. in a declarative way when the judgment of the church is obtained, Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, Math. xvi. 10. Whatsover ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, ch. xviii. 18. Whoseovers sins ye retain, they are retained, Joh. xx. 23.

13. To admonish, viz. in public, and in an official way, towards recovering the sinner, or make way for his excommunication. See this exemplified under the proposition which relates to the subject. Them that are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, 1 Thes. v. 12. Them that sin rebuke before all, 1 Tim. v. 20. After the first and second admonition, reject, 1 Tim. iii. 10.

14. To cast out of the church or excommunicate. See the manner under the proposition that concerns the matter. Whom I have delivered to Satan, 1 Tim. 1, 20. I, present in spirit, have judged &c. Ye, with my spirit, deliver such a one to Satan, 1 Cor. v. 3-5. Whose deeds I will remember, 3 Joh. 10. Peter said, thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, Act. viii. 20-21.

15. To loose or remit sin, viz. (1) The sin of the penitent excommunicate, (2) Of the penitent sick. See the manner under the propositions which treat of the subjects. Whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven, Math. xvi. 19. xviii. 18. Whosoevers sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, Joh. xx. 23. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive in the person of Christ, 2 Cor. ii. 7, 10. Let the sick send for the elders of the church—and if he have committed sin, it shall be forgiven, Jam. v. 14, 16.

16. To lay on hands, viz. (1) On persons baptized, They were baptized both men and women &c. Peter and John laid hands on them, Act. viii. 12, 17. They were baptized, and when Paul had laid his hands on them, Act. xix. 5-6. (2) On persons ordained to offices, whom they set before the apostles, and when they had laid their hands upon them, Act. vi. 6. And when [the prophets and teachers] had laid their hands on Paul and Barnabas, Act. xiii. 3. The gift that is in thee by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery, &c. The laying on of my hands, 1 Tim. iv. 14. 2 Tim. i. 6. Lay hands suddenly on no man, 1 Tim. v. 22. (3) On children when the minister blesseth, prays for, and names them, There were brought unto him little children that he should put his hands on them, &c. He took them up in his arms, put his hands on them, and blessed them, &c. Math. xix. 13-15. Luk. xviii. 15-17.

17. To baptize; Go, and teach all nations, baptizing them, Math. xxviii. 19. John did baptize, &c. Joh. iv. 1-2. And he [Philip the evangelist] baptized the eunuch, &c. Act. viii. 38. I [Paul] baptized, 1 Cor. i. 14-16. Lay baptism is unscriptural.

18. To visit, viz., the flock, whether sick or well. This is implied in the title of bishop; whence the word bishoprick is sometimes translated visitation, Lu. xix. 44. 1 Pet. ii. 12. If any be sick let him send for the elders of the church, Jam. v. 14. Pure religion and undefiled is—to visit the fatherless and widow in their afflictions, Jam. i. 27. Paul said unto Barnabas, let us go and visit the brethren where we have preached and see how they do, Act. xv. 36. I have taught you from house to house, Act. xx. 20. When ye come to a house salute it, Math. x. 12. Ye have not visited the flock, Jer. xxiii. 2.

19. To give a good example in all things; In all things shew thyself a pattern of good works, Tit. ii. 7. Be thou an example to the believers in word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith and purity, 1 Tim. iv. 12. Being examples to the flock, 1 Pet. v. 3. Take the prophets for example, Jam. v. 10. As ye have us for example, Phil. iii. 17. 2 Thes. iii. 9. They that have spoken to you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation, Heb. xiii. 7. Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ, 1 Cor. iv. 16.

20. To anoint the sic; Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil, &c. Jam. v. 14-16. See the manner under the proposition, of anointing the sick.

21. To bury the dead; And it came to pass in those days that Dorcas was sick, and died, whom when they had washed, they laid in an upper room—And they sent two men to Peter desiring him that he would not delay to come unto them, &c. Act. ix. 37-38. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, Act. viii. 2.

22. To perform marriages; There was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and both Jesus was called to the marriage, and his disciples, Joh. ii. 1-2. What therefore God hath joined together let no man put asunder, Math. xix. 6.

23. To catechize; Let him that is taught [Gr. that is catechized] communicate to him that teacheth [Gr. that catechiseth] in all good things. Gal. vi. 6.

24. To bless infants, name them, and lay hands on them, They there were brought unto him little children that he should put his hands on them and pray, &c. He took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them, &c. Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, &c. Math. xix. 13-16. Mar. x. 13-16. Luk. xviii. 15-17. [Zacharias the priest] said his name is John, Luk. i. 63.

25. To defend the faith; Knowing that I am set for the defence of the Gospel, Phil. i. 17. A bishop must be able to hold fast the faithful word to convince gainsayers &c. Tit. i. 9. This charge I commit to thee, son Timothy, hold the faith, &c. 1 Tim. i. 18. The same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others, 2 Tim. ii. 2. The priests lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts, Mal. ii. 7.

26. To assist at associations, ordinations, constituting churches &c. See Act. xv. Tit. i. 5. Act. viii. 14. ch. xi. 12, 22.

Customs of Primitive Churches, Morgan Edwards, 1768, pages 13-15

So far as the civil law is concerned

"We may regret that all men are not Christians, and wish that they were, and we may wish that they held Christian principles as we hold them, but we have no right to enforce our doctrines by law, and others have no right to force their doctrines upon us by human statute. We hold that if a man chooses to be a Mohammedan, a Jew, a Pagan, a Roman Catholic, a Protestant or an Infidel, he has a right to be that, so far as the civil law is concerned. Therefore, all persecution for the maintenance of this or that religion is radically wrong." -- Thomas Armitage (1890)

Rock of Ages

CCCXXXVII. A Prayer, living and dying.

1. Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in thee!

Let the Water and the Blood,

From thy riven Side which flow’d,

Be of sin the double cure;

Cleanse me from its guilt and pow’r.

2. Not the labors of my hands

Can fulfill thy Law’s demands:

Could my zeal no respite know,

Could my tears for ever flow,

All for sin could not atone:

Thou must save, and Thou alone.

3. Nothing in my hand I bring,

Simply to the Cross I cling;

Naked, come to Thee for dress;

Helpless, look to Thee for grace;

Foul, I to the Fountain fly;

Wash me, Savior, or I die!

4. While I draw this fleeting breath—

When mine eye-strings break in death—

When I soar to worlds unknown—

See Thee on thy judgment-throne—

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,

Let me hide myself in Thee!

Augustus Montague Toplady was born in England in the village of Farnham, Surrey in 1740, the same year the Wesleys published “Jesus, Lover of My Soul.” His father died shortly after Augustus was born, and he was raised by his mother – who some biographers say spoiled him. Toplady was converted through the ministry of the Methodists, at preaching in a barn – but through his Bible study adopted a staunch Calvinistic position. His works demonstrate this interest, such as Free-will and Merit Fairly Examined: or, Men Not Their Own Saviours, Historic Proof of the Doctrinal Calvinism of the Church of England and The Church of England Vindicated from the Charge of Arminianism. He translated from the Latin and published Jerome Zanchius’ The Doctrine of Absolute Predestination, Stated and Asserted. Toplady attended both Westminster School in London, and Trinity College in Dublin. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1762. He concluded his ministry preaching for a French Calvinist Church at Leicester Fields.

On the negative side, A. M. Toplady became well-known for his feuds with the Wesleys, especially John. His book title An Old Fox Tarred and Feathered: Occasioned by what is called Mr. John Wesley’s Calm Address to our American Colonies suggests some of the rancor that existed. Despite the rancor that existed between Toplady and the Wesleys, both his hymns and theirs have served to bless many of God’s poor children. Rock of Ages and Jesus, Lover of My Soul adorn many of the same hymnals, even showing up harmoniously side by side in the same opening. Toplady died in 1778 at the young age of 38, from tuberculosis, and was buried at Whitefield’s Tabernacle.

Augustus Toplady served for a period as editor of a periodical called The Gospel Magazine. The first stanza of the hymn appeared in the magazine in 1775, within the text of an article. The next year the full four stanzas were printed in both the magazine (called “A living and dying PRAYER for the HOLIEST BELIEVER in the World”) and Toplady’s hymn book Psalms and Hymns for Public and Private Worship. (London: E. and C. Dilly, 1776, pp. 308-309). Toplady wrote many hymns – including O, Thou that hear’st the prayer of faith, and From whence this fear and unbelief – but “Rock of Ages” is without question the best known. Among Christians in general, it is his legacy. In 1923, Louis Benson claimed “Rock of Ages” was “in more church hymnals than is any other English hymn.”[i] A background story for the “Rock of Ages” about a rock of refuge in a storm is often repeated, and probably as often questioned as apocryphal. Another interesting (apparently true) story involves a sinking ship:

“When the ‘London’ went down in the Bay of Biscay, Jan. 11, 1866, the last thing which the last man who left the ship heard as the boat pushed off from the doomed vessel was the voices of the passengers singing ‘Rock of Ages’. No other English hymn can be named which has laid so broad and firm a grasp on the English-speaking world.” (Hymns That Have Helped, W. T. Stead, New York, NY: Doubleday and McClure Co., 1900, p. 141)

Organist Richard Redhead (1820-1901) composed a tune setting for “Rock of Ages” and published it as number 76 in his book Church Hymn Tunes, for the Several Seasons of the Christian Year, as sung in All Saints’ Church, Margaret Street (London: Masters, 1853). Unnamed, it became known as Redhead 76 (now also known as Ajalon and Petra). It remains a popular tune, especially in England. More common in North America is a tune by Thomas Hastings. Hastings wrote this tune circa 1830 and published it in 1831 in Spiritual Songs for Social Worship (with Lowell Mason), simply labeled Rock of Ages – but now commonly known as Toplady.

“If on a quiet sea” (by A. M. Toplady) appeared in The Gospel Magazine in 1772:

If, on a quiet sea, toward Heaven we calmly sail,

With grateful hearts, O God, to Thee,

We’ll own the favoring gale.

But should the surges rise, and rest delay to come,

Blest be the tempest, kind the storm,

Which drives us nearer home.

(Excerpt; entire hymn can be found HERE.)

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[i] Studies Of Familiar Hymns Second Series by Louis F. Benson (Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster Press, 1923, pp. 104-118)

The Alamo

Texas Talks - Webinar Series 

March 6, 1836, the Texas revolutionaries at the Alamo fell to the Mexican army under Santa Anna. 

March 6, 2017, "Texas Talks" sorts out the fact from the fiction regarding the Alamo and its history.

Arminian Grace

A parody of the first line of John Newton’s “Amazing Grace”:

Arminian “grace”! how strange the sound--

Salvation hinged on me.

I once was lost, then turned around;

Was blind, but chose to see.

(Author unknown)

The season

Lent is not a Baptist season. Lent is not a biblical observance.

English can be weird, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources. (I try to confirm the sources that I give, but may miss on occasion; please verify if possible.)

"English can be weird, though it can be understood through tough thorough thought." -- copied

"It's not what you do, but what has been done for you." -- copied

"People are more likely to be right in what they affirm than in what they deny." -- F. D. Maurice

"To see the dull indifference, the negligent and thoughtless air that sits upon the faces of a whole assembly, while the psalm is upon their lips, might even tempt a charitable observer to suspect the fervency of their inward religion." -- Isaac Watts

"When we worship together as a community of living Christians, we do not worship alone. We worship with all the company of heaven." – Marianne H. Micks

"The baptism of young children is, in my estimation, one of evangelicalism’s most tragic departures from sound doctrine." -- Justin Peters

"Due process guarantees a fair trial, not a good bargain." -- Neil Gorsuch

"I cannot shape truth; I know of no such thing as paring off the rough edges of a doctrine." -- Charles Haddon Spurgeon

"The giant in front of you is never bigger than the God who is in you." -- copied

"Churches can’t organize their way out of a mess. They must agonize before the Lord until He brings them out of the mess." -- William F. Harrell

"Rage is not a policy." -- Tom Brokaw

"Life is about all of us, not one of us." -- Chris Edmonds

"God, who is good and does good, expresses good anger for a good cause." -- David Powlison

"If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the Slave Trade, all left their mark on Earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with Heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this." -- C. S. Lewis

Early English General Baptist, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• An Early English General Baptist on Washing of the Saints' Feet -- "Peter’s words spoken in John 13 maketh much for total washing in baptism, and no wise against it."
• A Two-Minute Clip on Homosexuality Every Christian Should Watch -- "Sam Allberry—editor for TGC, speaker for RZIM, founding editor of Living Out, and author of Is God Anti-Gay?—addressing the Church of England General Synod in London this week."
• Communities Built on Faith -- "Longing to lead more religious lives—and wary of the wider culture—a growing number of traditional Christians are creating their own small communities."
• Ethics -- more important than theology? -- "As a Christian ethicist, I heartily affirm the importance of ethics. However, faithful Christian ethics presupposes a foundation of orthodox Christian doctrine. We cannot do ethics apart from theology."
• Floyd: Recruit churches to SBC's 'exciting work' -- ""...What if we begin to call forth churches aggressively and outwardly...There may be hundreds or even thousands of non-Southern Baptist churches in America."
• Independent church aligns with Missouri Baptists/SBC -- "His desire to lead High Street Baptist into cooperation with the Missouri and Southern Baptist conventions was built upon this early experience of partnership with Southern Baptist families on the mission field."
• In Religious Freedom Debate, 2 American Values Clash -- "We may not like the claim of conscience, but you know, we don't judge claims of conscience on whether we like the content of the claim."
• Job: a Testimony Against Easy Answers and Shallow Teaching -- "Prosperity preachers like Copeland propagate the very error that the Book of Job was written to correct–the belief that we can presume God’s favor or judgement based on material blessings alone."
• Kyrie Irving believes the earth is flat: 'They lie to us' -- ""The earth is flat," Irving said matter-of-factly."
• Pragmatism, Partnership, and Politics -- "Sometimes our pragmatic pursuit of political goals (even those rooted in spiritual convictions) can lead us to strange partnerships."
• Richard III's prayer book goes online...and is that a personal note? -- "Leicester Cathedral digitized Richard III's "Book of Hours" and published it on the church's website alongside an interactive interpretive text."
• The Meaning of Baptism, Part 2 -- "One of the first arguments for infant baptism that deserves attention is the historical precedent of infant baptism."

Planned obsolescence?

In the fast-paced and ever-changing world of technology, companies plan obsolescence[i] into their product cycles. For example, if a product will be replaced in two years, why manufacture parts designed to last 15 to 20 years? Make it with parts that last three to five years. Before the parts wear out, the product is obsolete and company has a new product ready to replace of the old one!

Have Bibles moved into this cycle of determined discontinuance? In less than two decades the Holman Christian Standard Bible – which was first published as a complete text in 2004 – is now obsolete and soon to be replaced by Lifeway’s new revision/translation called the Christian Standard Bible. The translation is already available at the Read.CSBible.com web site, as well as Bible apps. The print version is supposed to be available at Lifeway stores in March.

They just don’t make ‘em like they used to!

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[i] the process of becoming obsolete or outdated and no longer used

More CSB

In their online explanation of Why this Bible is needed, Lifeway/B&H notes there is a problem of people reading their Bibles less and less. To help solve the problem, enter the CSB, “a Bible optimally translated for today’s English reader.” Of course, we already have a plethora of a Bibles (supposedly) “optimally translated” for today’s English readers – but we still have the problem. CSB apparently threads the needle between “clunky and hard to read” and “stray(ing) away from important precision” [i.e. accurate translation, rlv]. Of course, that was what the HCSB was supposed to do, but now here they are replacing it in less than 20 years.

The following link gives Comparison Verses in the CSB, with explanations. It compares certain CSB texts with HCSB, NIV, ESV, NLT and KJV.