Salem Association of Baptists
Held at Lick Creek, Nelson, County, KY
The Circular Letter, 1811
Atkinson Hill, Composer
"The subject is open or mixed communion."
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DEAR BRETHREN,
Under the smiles of an indulgent Providence, we have been permitted to meet at the place appointed. The late pleasing accounts of a work of God amongst some of our churches make our hearts rejoice and we have abundant reason to be thankful that the work is still going on in some places - greatly wishing to do everything in our power, to promote your peace and happiness. We will address you at this time on a subject much debated amongst some who call themselves Baptists as well as amongst others. The subject is open or mixed communion.
On this subject we are charged with uncharitableness - of shutting all out of heaven but ourselves and that all others are in a graceless state, &c.
For the satisfaction of our brethren and other readers in answer to these and similar charges, we offer the following reasons,
1 To debar persons from our communion; and to condemn them as graceless and not fit for heaven, are two very different things. Has not every master of a family an indisputable right to exclude such, and deny them entrance, who refuse submission to the discipline and government of that house? Surely he has. But does his so doing, prove him to be an enemy to all who live elsewhere? Surely it would not. The cases are exactly parallel - to take people into gospel fellowship, before they are reconciled to our order; would be contradictory to common prudence and incongruous in every respect - we are commanded to stand with one mind - But that would be impossible, were we to admit people of other persuasion into the same community. "How can two walk together, except they are agreed?" Amos 3;3. How then could they dwell under one roof with any satisfaction; we are ordered to seek the peace of Jerusalem. But that would be a likely way of making it a seat of discord and confusion - it is out duty, and the duty of every christian society, to maintain and uphold the church of Christ, to the utmost of their ability - but this would rather have a direct tendency, to overthrow and demolish it. Our dear Lord has foretold us what the event would be - a kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, Matthew 12;25. What, but jarring, contention and angry valiance could be expected in an assembly, closely joined in covenant, and widely disagreeing in judgement - if therefore any chase [choose] to come into our churches, they are required to enter at the same door we did, and they are welcome to all the privileges and blessings of a gospel church. But if the prejudices of education or sphere of life, to which they are raised, make it too mortifying to be baptized, they must continue where they are, though they were kings or emperors. In the meanwhile we don't pretend to shut any body out of heaven - to the keys of those pearly gates we gladly leave in the hands of our glorious redeemer. Revelation 1.v3. But he has intrusted his servants with the care of his militant church here below - with particular direction, when to open and to whom, and we esteem it our incument duty to act accordingly without the least deviation on any account whatever; yet we hope, we never thought that there are no christians in the world but ourselves. That is an aspenion cast on us without any grounds to support it: our constant practice shews the injustice of that charge. So that every person received as a member of our church, is a proof that we judge persons, may (?) and ought to be in favour with God, before we admit them to that holy ordinance, which is
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the door into the visible church, nor dare we admit any that are for climbing into it any other way - John 10.1. So that it is not people[']s christianity we scrutinize, but it is the supporting and maintaining the institution of the gospel, in its purity - that we are aiming at but provided a person possessed with grace, should be guilty of a wrong - does grace in his heart make a wrong in his conduct right? By no means. For could that be supported, there would never be a wrong done by a christian. Suppose a gracious man was suduced and led astray to worship an idol - could that worship be acceptable because he possessed grace? By no means. It is so far from lessening or making it no crime, that it is greatly heightened and aggravated. So when persons are enlightened from above, and enjoy the teachings of the spirit of grace, and live in the wilful [sp] neglect of a known duty; tis dishonouring to God, a high contempt of the authority of Christ, and very unbecoming their high calling. Pedobaptists genrally acknowledge, that immersion was the ancient mode, [torn portion] believers the subject of baptism - but while that is allowed by them, it is thought unreasonable, that the Baptists should not be equally liberal, in allowing the sprinkling of infants to be right also - but it is out of the question for both to be right - because there is but one rule laid down in holy writ, for Christ's followers to go by, as it respects Baptism, and that is, he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. - This appears from scripture to be the only terms of an orderly gospel communion, and perfectly consistent with the command of the great law-giver. But when we make search for infant sprinkling and open our ears with all diligence to hear, what the scriptures report. - A dead silence takes place, and we go off without any information about it. Our Lord informs us that he who breaks the least of his commands and teaches men so to do, shall be called least in the kingdom of God. Let us not forget the words of God to Moses; see saith he, that thou do all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount. Let us also remember the ruin and destruction, that fell onn Nadab and Abihu, when they disobeyed the divine orders, and offered strange fire on the altar. Surely then, if a departure from those institutions, under that shadowy dispensation, met with the divine resentment, what may be expected, when there is a refusal to obey him who speaketh from Heaven. The conclusion with us is, that Jesus Christ in his own ministry, and the ministry of his inspired followers - gave every necessary institution for the government of his church, so that the man of God is furnished to every good work - from all that has been said, we see no cause for retraction or change of our custom, we felt it obligatory on us to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints - and maintain the ordinances in their purity, as delivered by Christ and his Apostles. We view it as a dreadful sin, to change God's ordinances. After a diligent and impartial search of the scripture - we believe that believers exclusively, have a right to baptism and the mode of immersion - and that sprinkling of infants, is not baptism - and we cannot commune with unbaptized persons. When any of our own members transgresses or proves disorderly, by breaking our rules & treating the institution of the gospel with contempt; we exclude him from our fellowship & communion; how then can those of other sects, who do not comply with the gospel order and mode of baptism expect better treatment.[?] We off this to the candid reader, as our principal reason for our religious practice - and we think that while the Bible stands, as it now [does - blurred] we shall have no reason to retract. Therefore wishing you the choicest of heaven's blessings - we remain beloved brethren, yours, affectionately in the bonds of the gospel.
ATKINSON HILL, Composer.
J. LEWIS, Clerk. WALTER STALLARD, Moderator.================== The manuscript is in very bad condition and could not be copied.
[From SBTS Archives, Adam Winters, archivist. Transcribed and formatted by Jim Duvall.
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