There is a class of religious people in our midst who are distinguished by some noted peculiarities in their belief and practice. They are called Baptists. In what particulars do they differ from other Christian denominations? In connection with some notes on the history of Grassy Creek Baptist Church, I shall give a brief sketch of the general features of the Baptists, as a denomination, which make them a distinct people, marked and peculiar. It is not my purpose to defend, but simply to state their distinguishing religious views. In regard to what are usually termed the great fundamental doctrines of Christianity, they agree, in most points, with other sects commonly called evangelical. But there are some important religious principles which they hold very sacred, and which constitute and determine them a separate people. For the want of correct information concerning their principles and practices they have been, and are still, sadly misrepresented, defamed, and vilified. No other sect has suffered more from partiality and intolerance than the Baptists, or to so large a measure of calumny, reproach and persecution. They have ever been objects of derision and sneer, and made to suffer severe and unjust penalties for adherence to the dictates of conscience. It is a fact that cannot be denied, that there is not any work of history, written by men not of Baptist belief, that does not contain defective or perverted statements, in relating transactions in which Baptists bore an important part. Even common fairness has been denied them, and not infrequently, they are passed by unnoticed. It is not surprising, therefore, that even good men should be led astray by prejudice, when so many partial or false statements are made by the writers they are accustomed to read, and to whom they have recourse concerning that sect that is everywhere spoken against. The Baptists have always been desirous to be understood by others as they understood themselves.

I. The Baptists maintain that the Bible, as given by the inspiration of God, is the only rule of faith and practice.

They hold that the plain, obvious teachings of the Holy Scriptures alone are binding on the conscience in all matters of religion, and that no human creed or exposition whatever has any such authority. They have no authoritative human creed, confession of faith, or catechisms to bind them together in doctrine and church discipline. A creed is more than worthless -- it is dishonoring to God -- if it is not founded on the word of God, and if it is, why not rest on that word -- the true foundation itself instead of resting on the scaffolding erected upon it. The Baptists prefer to stand on the foundation itself. If it is able to sustain them they need no other, and if it is not, they cannot rest upon a creed that has no support for itself. But do not all other religious denominations profess to hold the sacred Scriptures to be the true standard of religious belief and practice? Certainly; but the most of them use other authorities in regulating their religious practices and ecclesiastical decisions. Do they not appeal to their creeds, confessions of faith, or books of discipline, as standards in doctrine and church order? Do they not regulate their church affairs by these human compilations? But do not the Baptists, as well as other sects, have and use a confession of faith? Some Baptist churches have what are called "Declarations of Faith," as simple statements of what they believe the Bible teaches in regard to doctrine, church order, &c., but they are not put forth by any ecclesiastical authority, nor are they in the least binding on the consciences of their church members. Many Baptist churches, (Grassy Creek is one of that number,) have never adopted such Articles of Faith because they have not found any need for them. These compends of faith do not constitute the bond of union among the Baptists, nor are they a standard in any sense, by which individuals or parties, whether ministers or private members, are tried, either for heresy or ungodly conduct. They are put forth to furnish information to the people, especially, for the benefit of those who are ignorant of Baptist views and usage. Jesus Christ is the only king and law-giver in Zion. The law of the Lord is perfect. The Baptists have always persistently held the sufficiency of the Scriptures, and invariably refused to receive or follow any and all forms of tradition whatever. They yield their consciences to the authority of God's word, and to that only. The holy Bible is emphatically the Creed, the Confession of Faith and the Book of Discipline of all true Baptist churches.

II. The Baptists steadfastly maintain the doctrine of a regenerated church membership.

An individual is regenerated by the sovereign influence of the Holy Spirit, leading him by faith to receive the benefits of the Savior's atonement. No external ceremony can effect this radical change in the heart , or constitute any one a new creature in Christ Jesus. No person is qualified, however amiable and upright, for membership in a regular Baptist church, unless he has obtained the forgiveness of his sins by faith in the merits of a crucified Redeemer. He must satisfy the church that he has experienced a work of grace upon his heart and been truly converted to God, before he can be admitted to the ordinances of the gospel, or participate in the privileges of church-membership. The Baptists believe in a spiritual church, and would exclude from it every thing that does not worship God in spirit and in truth. In a word, they claim that according to the New Testament pattern, a church is composed exclusively of regenerated men and women, baptized upon a profession of faith in Christ, and observing all things which Christ, the great Law-giver in Zion, has commanded. A converted church membership is one of the great principles which the Baptists have ever zealously maintained.

III. The Baptists maintain that the ordinances of Christ, as he enjoined them in number, mode, order and symbolic meaning, are unchanged and unchangeable till He comes.

There are two ordinances of the gospel, baptism and the Lord's Supper. They are institutions of Divine authority, and are kept as they were delivered to us. The Baptists hold according to the New Testament, none are proper subjects of baptism but believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. A credible profession of faith is a prerequisite to baptism, and baptism is indispensable to church membership and participation at the Lord's table. They reject infant baptism, not only because there is neither precept nor example for it in the New Testament, but because they are incapable of believing, and also because it violates the fundamental principles involved in the doctrine of personal liberty and individual responsibility which they hold to be essential in religious matters. While they believe that all infants, dying in infancy, are saved through the atoning blood of Jesus, still they do not believe that they are the subjects of gospel ordinances. The Baptists claim that they observe the ordinances as commanded by Christ, and practiced by the apostolic churches. All rites and forms in Divine worship, as laid down in the New Testament, must be performed as the great Head of the Church has directed, without change or substitution for convenience. Whatever the master has required must be done.

Baptists contend for the exact performance of the act of baptism according to the divine command, and, in this, they contend for a principle that applies with equal force to every divine institution; therefore they hold that immersion is the only gospel baptism. In regard to restricted communion, their practice is consistent, and logically follows from their views of baptism. What others call baptism, they believe to be only a substitute for it. A valid gospel baptism, according to Romans 6:4, is the burial of a believer upon his own profession of faith in Christ. The Lord's Supper is administered according to Gospel order, to those only who have believed and are baptized. Baptism and the Lord's Supper are of equal authority and benefit. Both are symbolic. Baptism proclaims the death and resurrection of Christ, and the Lord's Supper shows forth his death till he comes. These are the two great monumental pillars of Christianity which proclaim Christ's glorious work, for the redemption of this lost and sin-cursed world

IV. The Baptists, in their government, maintain church independency.

The term independent, when applied to churches, has a technical meaning; that is, each church is complete in itself, being subject to no higher ecclesiastical authority, and competent to perform every act of government. The Baptist denomination is not a church, but a body of churches; for each one is independent of each other in all things that pertain to its government. It is just as competent to discharge all its duties as if no other church existed. The church possesses no legislative authority. Jesus is king. He has given to the church his laws which she is to preserve and obey just as he has made them, without any alteration or limitation. Her duties, so far as the laws which govern Christ's kingdom are concerned, are all executive in their nature. A church of Christ is invested with executive power to carry out the sovereign will of its Head. The governmental authority is in the hands of the people. It is a pure democracy. Each church chooses its own pastor and other officers, receives and dismisses its own members, and conducts its own discipline, without the agency of any other authority. Each congregation manages its own affairs as they may judge best, without being amenable to any other ecclesiastical body. Associations and conventions have no authority whatever over the churches. They are a body of churches united together on voluntary principles for fraternal and missionary purposes. As church-members, entire equality prevails among the Baptist brotherhood. This simple, independent form of church government, the Baptists believe, is according to the New Testament model.

V. The Baptists hold that a man is responsible to God alone for his faith and practice.

The doctrine of entire freedom of conscience stands out in bold relief upon every page of Baptist history. Soul-liberty is the inalienable right of every human being. Christianity demands voluntary obedience. Religious duties and a profession of faith in Christ, are personal matters between the individual and his Saviour, and must be the acts of a voluntary being. Therefore, God has given to every person the right to search the Scriptures, and interpret them for himself. The liberty granted to every man to think for himself, or the right of private judgment in the investigation of God's word, does not give him the right to follow his own fancies and predilections, to speculate and diverge from its teachings, to disobey or doubt it, but to understand its facts and truths, as they are revealed, that he may honestly and intelligently follow them in obedience. By what shadow of authority can any man, or class of men, presume to step between the personal investigations of a man and the Bible, to interpret it for him. No mortal man has any right to settle the religious opinions of other persons, or determine their church relations. Neither the civil magistrate, nor the State, has any right to prescribe a form of religion for the people, or to punish them for not following the forms sp prescribed. The Baptists have ever denied the right of a State to establish the church by law, and opposed all acts of religious conformity as iniquitous and oppressive, which interfere with the free exercise of a man's religion, be it what it may. So far as civil law is concerned, if a man chooses, he has a right to be a Pagan, a Mohammedan, or an infidel. They regard all church establishments -- the union of Church and State -- as radically wrong in principle; and all forms of persecution -- the legitimate results of such unholy alliances -- as wicked. All State and National Churches are utterly inconsistent with the genius of Christianity, and the declaration of the Saviour himself, who said, "My kingdom is not of this world."

That soul liberty which we now enjoy, the Baptists obtained at a great price -- the dungeon, the rack, the stake and the gibbet. The time was when this distinguishing principle of Baptist belief -- the entire separation of the State from religious opinions and practice -- was practically unknown in every colony in North America except Rhode Island. Here soul-liberty was guaranteed by law, and enjoyed by every one, to its fullest extent. But now it is one of the greatest foundation laws of every State in our National Union, which secures to every individual the right of religious freedom -- and have not the Baptists just claims as pioneers in this great reform in civil government?

History abundantly proves that the Baptists have in every age been the advocates and firm supporters of religious liberty. When the Emperor Constans [sic], in 318, sent commissioners to the Danatists [sic] (who were doubtless Baptists,) to conciliate them and induce them if possible to return to the established church, they replied, "What has the Emperor to do with the church?"

God alone is the great arbiter of conscience having given to no created being, be he prince or potentate, any authority to say what religious faith a man must profess.

John Locke said, "The Baptists were from the beginning the firm advocates of absolute liberty -- just and true liberty, equal and impartial liberty."

James McIntosh, Jeremy Taylor and other distinguished writers, speak of the Baptists in similar terms. Washington the statesman, Story the jurist, and Bancroft the historian, all award to the Baptists marked distinction as the strong defenders of soul-liberty. In the mighty struggle for religious freedom, the Baptists not only stood single handed and alone, but in opposition to all other religious sects. The great battle for soul-liberty was fought on the American shores, and in it they suffered, bled and died. The glorious victory was achieved, and soul-liberty acknowledged as the birthright of every human being. At this day all evangelical denominations embrace this peculiar Baptist principles.

It has been asserted "that the reason why the Baptists were such firm advocates for soul-liberty, was the smallness of their number, and the little social and political influence which they ever possessed, and that if they had held the power they would have been as intolerant and as persecuting as those by whom they were persecuted; in a word, the reason they did not persecute for conscience' sake was they did not have the power."

This view is false, and utterly inconsistent with their principles. It arises from ignorance. The Baptists cannot persecute for conscience' sake without renouncing some of their peculiar and foundation principles, and the moment that is done they at once cease to be Baptists. Immersion alone does not make any one a Baptist, but the reception and support of those great, vital and distinguishing principles above mentioned are necessary to constitute a man a true Baptist. The writer does not intend to say that the Baptists are and have always been personally too good to be intolerant, but that the principles of personal liberty and opposition to all union of Church and State which they have held from time immemorial, make it impossible that they should persecute.

I will notice a few facts to show that the Baptists have adhered practically to their avowed principles. Rhode Island was colonized by Baptists, and had its government in their own hands. They incorporated themselves a body politic, in 1638, and bound themselves together by moral and religious principles. Were they intolerant? Did they ever persecute anybody for conscience' sake? On the contrary, freedom in religious opinions and practices, was, in its fullest extent, ever guaranteed to every citizen. The Baptists have uniformly rejected State patronage, and even such favors that had a tendency towards the least connection between Church and State.

The King of Holland did at one time offer to the Baptists State patronage, and support, but they promptly declined having any alliance whatever with the government. They kindly but firmly rejected the overture.

In Georgia, in 1785, the Legislature passed a law for the establishment and support of religion, embracing all denominations. The Baptists were more numerous than any other in the State, and of course Baptist ministers might have shared largely in the appropriations, and lived handsomely on the public treasury, but the Baptists earnestly remonstrated against it, and the same year sent messengers to the Legislature it urge its repeal, and the law was without delay repealed.

One other remark, in the language of another, respecting the origin of the name Baptists: "It has been asserted that the Baptists originated in Germany about the year 1522, at the beginning of the Reformation. It is true that no denomination of Protestants can trace the origin of its present name farther back than about the time of the Reformation; and the most of them have originated since that period. And it appears to be true that the name of Baptists, by which this people have since been known, was then first assumed, probably in opposition to that of Anabaptists, with which their enemies were constantly reproaching them. It is not, however, the history of a name, but the prevalence of principles, which is the just object of attention with the student of ecclesiastical history. The Baptists do not pretend that the primitive Christians were what would now be called by this name; and there always has been a people on earth from the introduction of Christianity, who have held the leading sentiments by which they now are, and always have been, distinguished, is a point which they most firmly believe, and undertake to prove." -- Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, page 188.

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Section IV
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The Church Covenant
(Supposed to have been written by Elder Shubael Stearns, about 1757.)

Holding believers' baptism; the laying on of hands; particular election of grace by the predestination of God in Christ; effectual calling by the Holy Ghost; free justification through the imputed righteousness of Christ; progressive sanctification through Gods grace and truth; the final perseverance, or continuance of the saints in grace; the resurrection of these bodies after death, at that day which God has appointed to judge the quick and dead by Jesus Christ, by the power of God, and by the resurrection of Christ; and life everlasting. Amen.

1st. We do, as in the presence of the great and everlasting God, who knows the secrets of all hearts, and in the presence of angels and men, acknowledge ourselves to be under the most solemn covenant with the Lord, to live for him and no other. We take the only living and true God, to be our God, one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

2d. We receive the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the revealed mind and will of God, believing them to contain a perfect rule for our faith and practice, and promise through the assistance of the Holy Spirit, to make them the rule of our life and practice, in all church discipline, acknowledging ourselves by nature children of wrath, and our hope of mercy with God, to be only through the righteousness of Jesus Christ, apprehended by faith.

3dly. We do promise to bear with one another's infirmities and weakness, with much tenderness, not discovering them to any in the church, but by gospel rule and order, which is laid down in Matthew 18: 15, 16, 17.

4th. We do believe that God has ordained that they who preach the gospel shall live of the gospel; and we call heaven and earth to witness that we without the least reserve, give up ourselves, through the help and aiding grace of God's Spirit, our souls and bodies and all that we have to this one God, to be entirely at his disposal, both ourselves, our names and estates, as God shall see best for his own glory; and that we will faithfully do, by the help of God's Spirit, whatever our consciences, influenced by the word and Spirit of God, shall direct to be our duty, both to God and man; and we do, by the assistance of Divine grace, unitedly give up ourselves to one another in covenant, promising by the grace of God to act towards one another as brethren in Christ, watching over one another in the love of God, especially to watch against all jesting, light and foolish talking which are not convenient, (Ephesians 5:4) -- everything that does not become the followers of the holy Lamb of God; and that we will seek the good of each other, and the church universally, for God's glory; and hold communion together in the worship of God, in the ordinances and discipline of this church of God, according to Christ's visible kingdom, so far as the providence of God admits of the same: "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is," but submitting ourselves unto the discipline of the church, as a part of Christ's mystical body, according as we shall be guided by the word and Spirit of God, and by the help of Divine grace, still looking for more light from God, as contained in the Holy Scriptures, believing that there are greater mysteries to be unfolded and shine in the church, beyond what she has ever enjoyed: looking and waiting for the glorious day when the Lord Jesus shall take to himself his great power, and "have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth."

This covenant we make with full and free consent of our minds, believing that through free and boundless grace, it is owned of God and ratified in heaven, before the throne of God and the Lamb. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen, and amen.

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Rules of Decorum
(Prepared by Elder Thomas Vass, and adopted by the church, January, 1796.)
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We, the Baptist Church of Christ at Grassy Creek, being convinced that there is a necessity for meeting together at least once a month for the purpose of keeping up gospel order amongst us, agree to meet on Saturday before the fourth Sunday in each month for that purpose; and as such meetings, as well as all others, ought to be conducted in the fear of God, it is thought proper that some rules should be adopted, to which strict attention should be given:

ART. 1st. We agree that there shall be a Moderator chosen for the purpose of keeping good order, and to conduct the business that may cone before the conference.

ART. 2d.. That it is the indispensable duty of every member, especially the males, to give due attendance at the said meetings, except prevented by the weather, sickness, or some extraordinary business, that cannot be done before or after. The member who fails to attend is to assign his reason for his failure at the next church meeting, and if the church thinks the reason is sufficient, the brother will take his seat; but if not: for the first time, he is to be admonished by the moderator, for the second, to receive a public reproof, and for the third time, (without sufficient reasons), is to be looked upon as a disorderly member, and dealt with as such, and if he cannot be reclaimed, is to be put away from among us.

ART. 3d.. That we will determine all matters which may come before us by a majority of the church, and the minority peacefully submitting.

ART. 4. That it is the duty of all the members present, both male and female, to take their seats in order, to hear and do the business that may come before us, and being seated, should not leave without some urgent necessity, until the meeting is closed.

ART. 5th. That while we are sitting together to do business, no member is to be whispering, reading books, or papers; but all should duly attend to what may be said, that each one may be ready to offer light, or give the necessary instruction upon the subject under consideration, for mutual edification and comfort, so that all things may be done decently and in order.

ART. 6th That a member, having anything to communicate to the church, must arise from his seat, and while speaking is not to be interrupted by any other member.

ART. 7th. That no member shall leave the meeting to go home or elsewhere, without obtaining leave from the church, under the penalty of being reproved for so doing.

ART. 8th. That the meetings of the church shall be opened and closed with solemn prayer to God for the divine blessing upon our feeble efforts to promote his cause, by the Moderator or some other brother invited by him to discharge that duty.

ART. 9th. We agree that no member shall speak more than twice on the same subject without permission from the church.

ART. 10th. That these rules are to be lodged in the hands of our Clerk, with the other papers of the church, which he shall bring with him to our regular meetings, in order to be read whenever required.

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[From Robert I. Devin, The History of Grassy Creek Baptist Church, 1880; rpt. 1977, pp. 29-48. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]

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