For the Tennessee Baptist
Bro. Editor:
With these preliminaries, I would state for the religions encouragement and information of our brethren in other sections who read this periodical that our cause, or rather the cause of God, in this division of our State, appears to be on the advance in a strong and deep moving current. We have not, as yet, experienced so extensive a revival of religion this season as some other portions of our ancient Zion; still the good Lord has been pleased in mercy to send anew the comforter into the hearts of many of his mourning disciples, and to visit a goodly number of
our churches with the outpourings of his holy spirit in the conversion of perishing
sinners; thereby witnessing again that he still lives to grant repentance and remission of sins, and to make intercession for the saints according to
the will of God. But we should not be governed by revivals alone in forming
an estimate of the true condition and prospects of the churches. By observation and enquiry, we have been brought to the conclusion that in no other portion of the United States have the Baptists, since the introduction of missionary enterprise among them, encountered so many serious obstacles as in that of Middle Tennessee. Some years previous to the commencement of that enterprise, a respectable number of the churches had seceded from the main body of the denomination on the doctrines of election and predestination, and formed themselves into a distinct organization, distinguished from the main or regular body by the name of Separate or Free Will Baptists. They embraced the most liberal views on the nature and extent of the atonement, and the free will and agency of man, and other doctrines kindred thereto. The sharp controversy which followed on these points resulted in pushing the main or regular body farther along the line of Calvinism than the Baptists generally were at that period of time: while on the other hand, the Separate or Free Will part took the opposite line, and finally some of their most influential ministers, and many of their most flourishing churches heaved their floating barks into the then "current reformation" [Campbellism] and lost their identity amidst the waves of Bethany or Rationalism. However, some of their
churches and remnants of churches took the alarm, and drew back from the awful plunge into Scylla. Such, briefly, was the state of things when the star of missions rose on us and began to call the sanguinary hosts of the living God from their war of words to unite heart and hand in labors of love for dying sinners.
[From the Tennessee Baptist, October 3, 1848, p. 2, CD edition.]
For the Tennessee Baptist
Bro. Graves:
In our last communication under the above caption, we briefly stated the opposite extremes to which the two branches of the Baptist denomination in this portion of the Slate had been driven by the force of the controversy which followed this division on the doctrines of election and predestination, where the cause of missions began to be advocated among them. We now proceed with the subject. The missionary enterprise took its rise with the Regular or Calvinistic portion of
the denomination and met with little or no opposition from any quarter, while in its incipient and undigested state, all seeming, readily to acknowledge the obligations under which the church was placed to send the gospel of life and salvation to the destitute portions of our unfortunate race. Yet as soon as the time had arrived for the work to commence, and a plan of action was proposed through the medium
of a general convention for missionary purposes, it was found that a considerable
majority, both of ministers and brethren were bitterly opposed, not to sending the gospel to the destitute in an abstract sense, but as they said, to the ways and means proposed for effecting the object had under consideration. A war of ways and means, or rather a war of means, ensued, and was waged with great zeal of both
sides for a short time, when a separation took place between the contending
parties.
The majority went anti-missionary, and among these, some of the most intelligent
and influential ministers then belonging to the denomination in this section of the State. In this division among the churches, there were left, at least, twelve baskets full of fragments - unorganized - unhoused, and without a shepherd to go in and out before them.
This was truly a trying time indeed to those zealous pioneers in the heaven
born cause of missions. They are few and far between. Their brethren and
friends are scattered in every direction - here a bare majority of a church -
there a remnant - yonder a lone one, and there another. The majority of their brethren are in hostile array against all their benevolent design and labors, and are rapidly traveling down the high way of anti-romanism, and along with them is carried the press, that mighty engine of moral warfare.
Their separate brethren (those who had not long since sunk their ships in the whirlpool of Campbellism) unexpectedly joined their ranks on this point, and threw their influence into the scale of the opposition, and to mend the matter, the Campbellites, who at that time were doing an extensive business in these parts, fell into line and raised the hue and cry against the few pious advocates of that most solemn injunction of our departing Lord, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."
While these few fruitful men would work for God, they have to buckle on their armour and ward off the darts of these three powerful and combined foes. The Pedobaptists are in the field day and night, and gaining strength in every direction. The unity of the Baptist church is now destroyed. Much of the ground previously
gained is now almost or entirely lost. The scattered fragments must be gathered up, and the walls of Zion rebuilt on the spot where it once had stood in all its beauty and symmetry.
[From the Tennessee Baptist, November 23, 1848 p. 2. CD edition.]
For the Tennessee Baptist
Bro. Graves:
In looking over the thirteenth number of the Tennessee Baptist, I was somewhat amused and surprised, while reading the second number of Adam Penn (of Murfreesborough,) the Baptist historian of Middle Tennessee; what his object was, and is, I cannot tell, unless it was to get up a war of ways and means in the Baptist ranks. Surely he must be a novice in the work in which he has engaged; or he would not assume such untenable ground. I am rather inclined to think he is a Calvanist [sic] from the way he seems rather to boast, that the missionary enterprize took its rise with the regular or Calvanistic Baptists, and at first met with little or no opposition in the incipient and undigested state, all the Baptists seeming ready to acknowledge the obligations under which the church was placed, to send the gospel of life and salvation to the destitute portions of our unfortunate race.
The missionary cause was not the cause that first split the Baptist church in Middle Tennessee. It was the doctrine of election and reprobation, as commonly termed among Baptists in this portion of the State. It will be readily admitted that the missionary cause produced some disagreement and division in the Baptist ranks; but not to the extent as set forth by the Baptist historian in his second number,
from the fact that the doctrine of missions had not been brought to bear on
the minds of the brethren; and so soon as they understood the plan with all its
beauty and superior excellency, the opposition of the most of them was measurably overcome by the great ruler of the universe, and the different Associations united in various ways to preach the gospel of peace to the destitute
parts in Middle Tennessee. This I suppose, is termed by our brother a war of means that demolished the Baptist churches in this portion of our beloved country, and drove a majority of the most intelligent and influential ministers into the Anti-missionary system; of course then, missionary system was gotten up and introduced by the most uninformed and unintelligent ministers in the Baptist ranks, &c. - Look what an immense pile of lumber this division made, at least twelve baskets full of fragments, the small minority, &c. unorganised, unhoused, and
without a shepherd to lead in and out before them. How can this be true when there was no church, and no shepherd to go out before them [blurred] is surely entitled to be duped with doctors of divinity for the lofty and sublime figure of speech he has introduced to show that the missionary Baptists in their unorganized and unhoused state, multiplied from the small number to thousands, (see minutes of our Associations in this portion of our beloved Zion) of course then it must have been a trying time with the few scattered sheep in this wilderness State, like angel[']s visits, few and far between, wandering in every direction, of course no organized
church, from the fact, the majority of their brethren are in hostile array against all their designs and labors in the cause of God; when he shows from his own statement that there is no organized church to oppose in this good work, &c. And that they, the Anti-missionary Baptists are rapidly travelling down the high way of Antinomanian [sic] and with them is carried the press, that mighty engine of moral
warfare. I ask our historian to point us to their press in the middle part of
this State.
It is well known that some of the regular and Separate Baptists went off in the whirlpool of Campbellism, and of course threw their influence in the scaled of opposition against the cause of missions, according to the plan as carried out by Missionary Baptists in their unorganized and unhoused state, &c.
While these few fruitful uninformed men would work for God, they had to buckle on the whole armor of God to ward off the darts of these three powerful and combined foes. The Pedobaptists are in the field day and night, and gained strength in every direction, whilst the Baptists are all disbanded, and all their
influence lost, their unity destroyed, and much of the ground, we may add, previously gained is now almost or entirely lost; of necessity then, the scattered fragments must be gathered up, and the walls of Zion rebuilt on the spot where it once stood in all its beauty and symmetry. Alas! "Adam, where art thou?" Surely, you are a stranger in this part of the world, or otherwise you would not use such a
war of words instead of a war of means to prove to the readers of The Baptist, that the missionary cause and unity of the Baptist church are sunk
and completely destroyed in Middle Tennessee.
You must certainly have a desire to become the Architect in building up again the beautiful walls of Zion. I ask where is there a more zealous, intelligent,
influential and prominent denomination than the Missionary Baptist? where is there more unity, peace, and brotherly love? Look to the accessions to the missionary ranks, which is clearly shown to be the fact, from the minutes of her various Associations.
Say to yourself, I have been misinformed to a certain extent, and as such have written No. 2 unadvisedly. - From the purest and best of motives I have written this piece in order to correct, if possible the false impressions Adam Penn's letter No. 2 might make upon the minds of those who are unacquainted with the situation of the Baptists in Middle Tennessee.
[From the Tennessee Baptist, December 7, 1848 p. 2. CD edition.]
Bro. Graves:
Passing over in silence the unkind and uncourteous epithets which 'Ford' has applied to me as dark spots in any writer's style, especially of one, who only desires to correct the mistakes of an erring brother.
1. The author remarks, that "the missionary cause was not the cause that first split the Baptist church in Middle Tennessee. It was the doctrine of election and reprobation as commonly termed Baptist in this portion of the State." And pray bro. Ford, who hath written other wise. - Have I not, almost verbatum, made the same statement in my number which you here make? Ought you not to have read that No. before writing your strictures? But the same thing was, in substance, repeated in the second, which you did read"? Why then find fault?
2. Says brother Ford, "I am rather inclined to think he is a Calvinist from the way he rather seems to boast that the missionary enterprize took its rise with the Regular or Calvinist Baptists." I do not comprehend him here. He cannot mean to say that the missionary cause did not begin with that part of the denomination then called Regular Baptists in contradistinction to those termed Separates; for every Baptist acquainted with the movements of those times knows it did commence with them; at least, all with whom I have conversed on the subject, say it did.
3. Brother Ford, by misquoting my words, makes me say that "the missionary enterprize drove a majority of the most intelligent and influential ministers into the Anti-system." And then he draws the conclusion that that missionary system was gotten up and advocated by the most illiterate and uninfluential ministers then belonging to the body.
To show how unfairly he has misquoted, and misconstrued my language and meaning, I here repeat my own words on this point, viz: "The majority went Anti-missionary, and among these, some of the most intelligent and influential ministers then belonging to the denomination in this section of the State." Thus he reasons; some of the most intelligent and influential ministers went into the Anti-system; some means majority, therefore, the majority went into the Anti-system; therefore those who remained were illiterate, &c.!! O logic, where art thou? His logic on the twelve baskets of fragments is a twin sister. He sees in them every church in wrecks, and every shepherd gone. I do not.
4. He asks me to point him to the Anti-mission press in Middle Tennessee. With great pleasure. Was not the Old Baptist Banner edited in Nashville by Lowe shortly after the division, and also the Correspondent by Dr. Watson in this place, after the former ceased? And were they not held as the Anti-mission organs? Bro. Ford must have forgotten those papers.
5. And lastly, brother Ford makes me say that "the missionary churches are now in fragments, that their ministers are few and far between" - and in short, in a most deplorable condition. Is it possible that brother Ford could not understand that I was describing the condition of things immediately after the division, and not those of the present time!
Is not brother Ford acquainted with the common mode of speaking and writing called Rhetorical vision, by which in an animated description, things past are made to pass before the mind as if present. The readers of the Baptist understood it. My pen is dipped - but I spare you. Please consult Blair's Rhetoric, large Ed., page 190.
Finally, bro. Ford, if you had exercised a little patience, I would at this time, (instead of this bore to the readers of the Baptist,) have spoken of the workings of things from the separation down to this time, and have related the great love, unity, and prosperity which the Missionary Baptists now enjoy; but you could not wait for the golden egg, the good part of the story; but have pitched in, and taken my subject from me before I had time to finish it. I mean no harm, you must suffer the consequences of your own temerity and mistakes. May the Lord bless all for good.
[From the Tennessee Baptist, January 4, 1849 p. 2. CD edition.]
Bro. Penn,
2d. You complain very much like a child, that Ford has misrepresented you, is not this your language, a majority went into anti-missionary, and among these, some of the most intelligent and influential ministers, in this division among the churches, there were left at least twelve baskets full of fragments - unorganised, unhoused, and without a shepherd to go in and out before them. Was not then the missionary enterprise according to your own showing, the cause of the dissolution of all the churches, that made this large pile of lumber, unorganized &c. Oh! logic, where art thou, here it is in your own language.
3d. You said a majority of their brethren are in hostile array against all their benevolent designs and labors, and are rapidly traveling d own the high-way of Antimonianism [sic], and with them, is carried the press, &c. I asked you to point me to the press they carried, you answer in a state of ecstacy with great pleasure. Was not the old Baptist Banner edited in Nashville, by Low, shortly after the division, and also, the correspondence by Dr. Watson in this place, and were they not held as anti-mission organs, brother Ford must have forgotten these papers. Not so my young brother, before I proceed further, please tell us the cause
why the old Baptist Banner changed its name and editor, and was transferred to your town, &c. Bro. Penn if I wanted information about the Baptist
cause in Middle Tennessee, I would not go to some of those leaders (as you term them) of Anti-nomianism, the most inveterate enemies the Missionary Baptist have, come now bro. Penn let us refer to records that can't fail, the Stone's River Association was organized in August, 1837, at the Ridge Meeting-house, in Wilson county, and it is said in their minutes, to be called by the Missionary Baptist, the minority. The Baptist paper had been in operation several years before this split took place, &c.; in the last of the spring or the first of the summer, 1838, W. Low published the first number of the old Baptist Banner, the object they had in view, in their own language, was to set Dagon up by the side of Dagon, to pull him down; and about this time a paper was commenced between the editor's [sic] of the two papers (See Baptist papers from the year '34 to '39) of course then it['s] as clear as the sun at noon-day, that the anties carried no press with them &c.
4th. You ask is not bro. Ford acquainted with the common mode of speaking and writing, called rhetorical vision, yes, but not in such a lofty style, that it flies over the heads of all the common and unlearned part of the people, my young brother, you remind me of a very learned minister, not a hundred miles from this place, that
commenced with his logical rhetoric to explain his text, and to give his views on the subject before him, and when he got through, the people said he was the
highest learned man they ever heard preach, but they could not understand him, so I suppose all the readers of the Baptist did not understand you. My pen you say is dipped, but I spare you - in what, the gall of an asp. I hope not.
5th. And last, finally, bro. Ford if you had exercised a little patience, and
waited for the golden egg. I am sorry bro. Penn, that I disturbed you, before
you laid the golden egg, if I had known it in time, I would have waited
patiently, even until you had hatched it, to see what kind of winged animal it would have come, you may have all the profit and honor the golden egg produces, &c.
I mean no harm, my young brother, you must suffer the consequences of your rashness and blunders. I can't say amen to your prayer, may the Lord bless all these mistakes, and temerities for good , but may God grant that prudences may dictate to you some more prudent subject, to improve your style in writing, and to display your profound talents in rhetorical visions, so as make the past tense the present, that all the readers of the Baptist may understand your language.
[From the Tennessee Baptist, February 8, 1849 p. 2. CD edition.]
Bro. Graves:
What there was in my articles on the Baptist cause in Middle Tennessee, to excite the ire of Ford, I never could see. His attack come most unexpectedly and without the shadow of cause, unless he feels himself keeper of the Baptists of Middle Tennessee, or intends to write their history himself – if so, I am sorry that I intruded upon him, I beg pardon, and leave the subject in his hands. He feels himself adequate to the task. I shall say no more.
[From the Tennessee Baptist, February 22, 1849, p. 3, CD edition. Scanned and formattted by Jim Duvall.]
This series begins with two letters about the subject and then becomes a series of contentious letters between Mr. Penn and a Mr. Ford.
By Adam Penn
Murfreesborough, Tenn.
September 30, 1848.
Though I have not hitherto been in the practice of writing for the Tennessee Baptist, or any other of our public prints, yet, I esteem it my privilege as well as my duty to avail myself of the facilities offered by that most potent of moral means, the press, in the accomplishment of any good which I may purpose in my heart to perform.
Yours in Christ,
ADAM PENN.
By Adam Penn
Murfreesborough, Tenn.
November 4th, 1848.
Yours in the work of the Lord,
ADAM PENN
The following letter is a rebuttal of the previous letter concerning the Baptists in middle Tennessee. It is written by a person who identifies himself as "Ford."
Murfreesborough, December 1, 1848.
I am yours truly,
FORD.
The following is a response to the previous criticial letter.
For the Tennesseee Baptist
Murfreesborough, Tenn.
December 11, 1848
After some unavoidable delay, I would, at this time, resume my subject, beginning at the division among the Baptists on missions, where my last communication closed; but it becomes necessary that I should, instead of proceeding, refer to an article in the last number of the Baptist, over the signature of "Ford. " This strange personage seems to take exceptions to some things in my communication No. 2, which I think were entirely uncalled for, and out of place.
Yours in Brotherly love,
ADAM PENN
The Penn / Ford discussion contined.
For the Tennessee Baptist.
To Adam Penn, Murfreesboro'
1st. You seem from your last communication in the Tennessee Baptist,
to be very much disturbed, because I and some others took some exceptions
to your history of the Baptists in Middle Tennessee, for which you term me
a strange personage, and think my remarks were entirely uncalled for and
out of place. Sure not more so than your little strange personage, and your
remarks in your No. 2, in the Tennessee Baptist, our enemies themselves
being judges, and also the unkind and uncourteous epithets Ford has applied to me, are dark spots in any writers style, certainly not more so than the dark spots in Adam Penn's unkind and uncourteous epithets about Ford, and the Baptists in this section of the State, the Baptists themselves being umpires. Oh that you could see yourself as others see you.
With due regard,
I am yours, &c.
FORD
Rutherford, co. Tenn. Jan. 9, '49.
Let's hope what follows is true.
For the Tennessee Baptist.
Murfreesboro', Feb. 10, '49.
No More on the Subject
I thought my last article would satisfy bro. Ford, and so end the matter forever. But his spleen is more excited than before, and he uses another whole column of the Baptist in reply to my explanations! 'Tis all the vainest "twattle." I shall make no reply. To keep up a controversy of this kind would do no good, for I am sure it has no intrinsic worth, and is, doubtless, uninteresting to the readers of your
paper.
Yours, &c.,
ADAM PENN.
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