DEAR BRETHREN:
Having been preserved through another year by our Heavenly Father, and permitted to assemble once more, we with pleasure address you in an annual epistle. The subject we have chosen, is, the peculiar position of the Baptist denomination: first, as respects her principles; secondly, with respect to her duty.I. With respect to her principles. As it respects baptism, we need not say one word -- the learned world is with us; but there are other points which we think ought to be held up before the denomination with more prominence.
1st. The Baptists have always held, and taught, that a church, built on the principles of the word of God, must be composed of professed believers only; such were those who accompanied Christ and his Apostles. Neander says a profession of faith in Jesus was made by the candidate at the time of admission. Mosheim says, None were admitted to baptism but such as gave proofs of a pious disposition. Gieseler says, The conditions of admittance into their number were repentance and faith. Such were apostolic churches, and such are Baptist churches.
2d. Baptist churches are entirely independent. There is the Episcopal Church in America, and the Presbyterian Church in America, but no such thing as the Baptist church in America, but the Baptist churches in America; all independent bodies. Mosheim says, The churches in those early times were entirely independent; none of them subject to any foreign jurisdiction. Such are Baptist churches.
3d. In Baptist churches all offices are of the same rank. The Elders are the servants of the churches. Even as Christ came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, etc. As Paul, Peter, James, and John, were the servants of the churches with which they labored. Gieseler says, In the churh at Jerusalem the Elders were all officially equal in rank.
4th. Republican in principle. In the apostolic church, Neander says, their government by no means excluded the participation of the whole church in the management of the common concerns. Geiseler says, In the appointment of officers all had a voice: such is our practice at the present day.
5th. Liberty of conscience, or, the privilege of worshipping God as our consciences may direct, without the intervention of the civil power. Christ forbad violence to be used in his behalf: -- My kingdom is not of this world -- He that taketh the sword, shall perish by the sword. Paul says, The weapons of our warfare are not carnal; etc. Roger Williams engrafted this principle into the first Baptist church planted in America, and it still flourishes as a vital principle in every regular Baptist church.
6th. The regular Baptist churches have always been missionary in spirit. Whoever has read attentively the lives of Christ and his Apostles; as set forth in the New Testament, must hare perceived that they felt and acted out the Saviour's last command, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature; -- don't curtail, don't limit; God has said it, and we must act it out. "No man ever heard of an anti-missionary Baptist church till the days of Daniel Parker, of two-seed memory." Another principle of Baptist churches, is, that the Bible, fully translated, must be given to all men. Such are the leading principles of Baptist churches.
[II.] In view of these principles, we inquire, what duties are imposed on us as a denomination. First. Believing that these principles accord with the scriptures, and were acted upon by the Apostolic church, every Baptist ought to he fully acquainted with these principles as recorded in Scripture and church history, and as developed in the history of God's people from the day of Pentecost till the present time. Second. We should contend earnestly for these principles, and firmly resist every encroachment upon them from within or without. These principles have never been popular, either in the world, or in mixed churches; they leave no room for lords spiritual, or lords temporal; they permit no man to bind the conscience of his fellow man; hence all the despots of Europe long to see our government overturned; and hence those holding these principles have always been persecuted unto death; and the track of time, from the days of Stephen the Martyr, has been marked with their blood. But, as we believe these principles are founded in truth, we ought never to abandon them, whatever sacrifice it may cost us; but, like good soldiers, defend the citadel of truth. Third, Another duty which our principles impose on us, is, that our movements should be aggressive; that we should not only understand and defend our principles, but endeavor by all suitable means to extend them to earth's remotest bounds.
For such a course, two reasons may he assigned. First, if we do not attempt to extend the sway of our principles we prove recreant to those principles, for some of them are aggressive in their nature. A second reason for aggressive movements is found in the fact, that no other principles than these will give a pure church, or give the word of God, fully translated, to the world or fulfill the condition of the Saviour's golden rule.
It seems as if those who deny the first principle we have stated, labor with more zeal to keep the church of God a mixed body, than for almost any other article of their creed. There can no pure church with such a state of things. Some six or seven Protestant denominations, numerous, wealthy, influential, and liberal, have combined their efforts to prevent the word of God from being given, fully translated, to the heathen; and some of their stratagems are worthy of their great ally in this work, viz: the Roman Catholic church. It rests therefore with those embracing the above principles to give a pure gospel to the world.
Finally, Brethren, seeing our principles lead us to such great works, it must be our imperative duty, in imitation of our Saviour's example, to give our cordial support to all those instrumentalities which our brethren have originated with a view to disseminate those principles, which we believe calculated to do so much good to our fellow men, and bring such glory to God; and to accompany our support with fervent prayer to God, that he would succeed those efforts with his richest blessing, till the whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God, as the waters cover the sea.
=================== ["The Circular Letter written by Bro. E[dward] Morin was called for, read, and referred to committee on the corresponding letters," Minutes p. 4. "Circular Letter again read, amended, and adopted," p. 5. {He is listed as a member of Flagg Spring Baptist Church.} jrd]
[From the Minutes of the Campbell County Baptist Association, 1847, pages 6-8. From a photocopy from the Kenton County Public Library, Covington, KY. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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