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A History of the Sandy Creek Baptist Association

BY ELDER GEO. W. PUREFOY,
 

CHAPTER I.
A Concise View of the Origin of the Baptists

The origin of the Baptists will be more clearly ascertained by first showing what constitutes a properly organized church of Christ.

The peculiar organization set up by Christ and the apostles is known in the Scriptures by the appellations of " a kingdom," " church," and " churches."

1. By the "kingdom of God," and "kingdom of heaven," as applied to the gospel organization, is meant the institution of Christianity, as established by Christ. All that are truly regenerated are in the invisible kingdom. Only true believers that have been baptized belong to the visible kingdom. The invisible kingdom is merely an ideal assembly, but the visible kingdom is a thing that has a visible existence, and was set up as such by Christ and his apostles.

2. When the word church is used in a more extended view than merely to express a local assembly of believers, it is used as the general title of the Christian institution. See Matt. xvi. 18.

3. The church is a local assembly to execute the laws which Christ has given. The churches are the executive department of " the kingdom of God." They have no divine right to make even one law for their government, or to submit to any that may be made by any ecclesiastical body, whether it be called a council, annual or general conference, % session, presbytery, synod, general assembly, association, &c. The churches of Christ are to " keep his commandments," not alter, amend, or make new ones.

4. A scripturally organized church of Christ is an assembly of those who have repented, believed on Christ, and have been baptized ; meeting together in one place for divine woi-ship, and to observe all things that Christ the lawgiver on Zion has commanded. Every such local assembly is a church of Christ. This is evident from the great commission. Matt, xxviii. 19, 20 ; and Mark xvi. 15, 16.

1. Those who are taught, and believe, iure to be baptized.
2. They are to observe all things that Christ had commanded. . • See, also, the full development of a gospel church on the day of Pentecost. Acts ii. 87, 38, 41, 43, 44.

1. There was a tremendous awakening under the preaching of Peter.
2. They that " gladly received his word were baptized."
3. They were thereby " added to the church;" v. 14.
4. " And they continued steadfastly in the apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers ;" v. 42.
5. " And all that believed were together ;" v. 44.

Here we are clearly taught that an assembly of baptized believers, continuing steadfastly in the doctrines of the apostles, &c., is a church of Christ.

A church of Christ is a local and independent assembly. Each church is a separate organization, and is a full and complete church in its government and discipline, and is independent of all other churches and ecclesiastical bodies whatever ; hence we read in the New Testament of the churches as local institutions, " the church at Jerusalem," " the church at Antioch," " the church in Ephesus," " the church of God in Corinth." " In every church," "greet the church that is in their house," " salute the church which is in Nympha's house." For the last three quotations, see Acts xiv. 23 ; Eom. xvi. 5 ; Col. iv. 15. All these quotations prove that a church is a local assembly ; the last two expressly state that they met in a house, and consequently must have been local assemblies.

There was then no great hierarchy or consolidated church like " the Episcopal Chm-ch of the United States," " the Presbyterian Church of the United States," " the Methodist Episcopal Church of the United States," " the Methodist Protestant Church of the United States," &c. But we read of " the churches [not church] throughout all .Tudea, and Galilee, and Samaria." Acts ix. 31. "The churches of Macedonia." 2. Cor. viii. 1. "The churches of Galatia." Gal. i. 2. "The churches of Asia." 1. Cor. xvi. 19.

In like manner, when we speak of Baptists, we say, not the Baptist church of England, or the United States, but " the Baptist clmrchei'' of England or of the United States. For, hke the apostolic churches, each congregation of baptized believers is a church. " The churches of Asia," '" the churches of Galatia," " the churches of Macedonia," mean that there were as many churches as there were local church organizations, this is too obvious to need further remark. The New Testament recognizes no such thing as " a branch of the church," " branches of the church." &c. No church is ever called a 'part or branch of the churph " in Galatia," " in Macedonia," &c. The words church and churches occur one hundred and twelve times in the New Testament, but the words " branch of the church" is not to be found there at aU. An organization that is only " a branch of the church" is not a church of Christ. The apostles established " churches," not " branches of the church." They are of modem origin.

It has been said that Christ and the apostles did not set up his church denominationally; that he did not organize a distinct set or denomination ; and that consequently we are at liberty to unite with any sect or denomination that claims to be a church, or branch of the church of Christ ; that all denominations are true churches, and equally entitled to be considered as such.

Facts do not sustain this position, for Christ and the apostles did set up his church as a distinct set, with a fully-developed government and discipline, and has commanded his church to " mark" and " avoid" those that cause divisions in or of it. Eom. xvi. 17. To assert or insinuate that the God of heaven " set up a kingdom" (Dan. ii. 44), and that the Saviour would build his church (Matt. xvi. 18), and that the apostles spent their lives in establishing and confirming churches in the faith delivered unto the saints, and leave them with out a fully developed organization, both as to government and discipline, is a reflection upon divine wisdom that few conscientious and reflecting men will venture upon.

In Acts xxviii. 22, the Christian organization is called a "sect." "As concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against."

1. From this we learn that the followers of Jesus were a distinct sect.
2. It was but one sect, "this sect."
3. It was " this sect," that is, the same universally, for it was " spoken against everywhere."

The New Testament contains a full description of the organization of the church of Christ as a distinct " sect" or denomination, specifying its members, ordinances, officers, government, and discipline. See the commission, Matt, xxviii. 19, 20 ; Mark xvi. 15, 16 ; Acts ii. 41, 42, 44; also, vi. 2, 5; also, viii. 5, 12, 37, 38, 39 ; also, x. 44 to 48. Matt, xviii. 17 ; 2 Thess. iii. 6 ; 1 Cor. v. 1, 5, 13 ; Kom. xvi. 1 ; 2 Cor. ii. 7, 8 ; Acts i. 2, 3 ; Acts xiii. 3 ; Matt. xxvi. 27.

If the reader will turn to and read the passages referred to above, he will perceive that the church of Christ is a fully developed organization.

The Epistles of Paul, Peter, John, &c., contain instructions that are designed for the churches as organized bodies, invested with the execution of the laws of Christ's kingdom.

If the New Testament does not fully develop the organization of a church, with its government and discipline, and all things that are requisite for faith and practice, the last will and testament of the blessed Kedeemer is an insufiicient rule of f£tith and practice. No true and IdJ^al subject of the blessed Saviour believes that he has for bidden us to add to or diminish from the things contained in this book (Eev. xxii. 18), and at the same time believes that it is not a full and complete directory for his church. The churches of Christ, as has been shown, are local, independent bodies. In their individual or separate capacity they are to execute the laws of Christ. The New Testament knows nothing of courts of appeal, it gives no account of any ecclesiastical courts, it places the whole government of the churches in each individual or local assembly. An individual church assembled in one place is the highest church authority recognized by Christ. This is evident from Matt, xviii. 15, 17 : " And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto tJie church ; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican." From this church decision there is no appeal. So it is with Baptist churches ; they have no courts of appeal ; the decision of each church is final, as the Savior in this passage has commanded it to be. The dealing with and excommunication of members is the highest and most important trust that Christ has committed to his church, and this he confines to each local or separate church, as we have just seen. See, also, 1 Cor. v. 1, .?, 13. Here a local church is directed to excommunicate a wicked member. From its decision there is no appeal. That all ecclesiastical discipline and prerogative is to be . confined to individual churches, is evident from the following facts. The churches, in their individual capacity, are empowered by Christ —

1. To receive members. Kom. xvi. 1 ; Acts ii. 41.
2. To excommunicate unworthy members. Matt, xv iii. 17"; 1 Cor. V. 5, 13 ; 2 Thess. iii. 6.
3. To restore the penitent. 2 Cor. ii. 7, 8.
4. To set apart ministers. Acts i. 2, 3.
5. To select deacons. Acts vi. 5.
6. To send out missionaries. Acts xiii. 3.
7. To mark and avoid those tliat cause dissension in'or of the church. Eom. xvi. 17.

These passages show tliat the government and discipline of the churches are to be confined to each church as an in dependent body. Any ecclesiastical' body that exercises government or discipline, virhich Christ has here clearly confined to the churches in their individual capacity, usurps the authority of the churches, as delegated to them by the Great Head of the church, and should fear the displeasure of Him who so severely punished Nabob and Abihu (Lev. X. 1, 2) for substituting their own views of propriety or inclination for the express command of God. Moses was denied the privilege of entering the promised land, because he " smote the rook" instead of " speaking" to it, as God commanded him. Num. xx. 8, 11, 12. The motto of every believer should be, " To the law, and to the testimony." Isa. viii. 20.

The New Testament does not mention a single case of an appeal from a church decision to a higher tribunal, neither does it mention the existence of any other body than that of individual churches for the transaction of ecclesiastical matters. Sessions, Presbyteries, Synods, General Assemblies, Annual and General Conferences, &c. , are not once named in that book.

There is but one instance on record where a matter of controversy has been supposed to have been discussed outside of an individual church ; that is the contention that arose, in the church at Antioch, about circumcision. Acts XV. 1, &c.

As this case is confidently referred to as teaching the divine right of legislative bodies for the churches, we will give it some attention. 1. This was no case of appeal, for it had not been acted on by the church at Antioch ; v. 2. It went up, not as an appeal, but as a matter of inquiry, for information ; v. 2. Paul and Barnabas were sent as delegates "to Jerusalem, unto the apostles and elders, about this question." 2. When they arrived, "they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders ;" v. 4. 3. The advice that was given was by the whole church, apostles apd elders ; v. 22. 4. It was simply an advisory council, consisting only of one c/mrcA-^the church at Jerusalem, together with the apostles and elders that were at Jerusalem : v. 2, 4, 22. 5. They did not legislate; they made no laws. The apostles, elders, and brethren, sent a letter of advice ; v. 23. 6. The church at Antioch did not send to the church at Jerusalem, the apostles and elders, because they had ecclesiastical authority outside of their own assembly, for they neither claimed nor possessed any outside of Jerusalem, but because they were presumed, as the motherchurch, to know, and were able to impart the information they needed. 7. This case is a deathblow to those ecclesiastical bodies that exclude from their bodies the private members of their societies. 8. The Baptists regard this case as ample authority for their advisory councils, called associations. 9. When this advisory council, which convened at the request of the church at Antioch, gave the advice needed on that occasion, it never met again ; it was simply a church meeting, called for a certain purpose.

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