BX 6331 .H595 
 
 Hiscox, Edward Thurston, 
 
 1814-1901 . 
 The standard manual for 
 
 Bapt i st churches 
 
XHE ; M '920 
 
 Standard Manual 
 
 for 
 
 Baptist Churches. 
 
 BY 
 
 EDWARD T. HISCOX, D. D., 
 
 Author of "The Baptist t Short Method," "Star 
 Ministers," "The Star Book Series" 
 "Pastors' Manual," etc. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA : 
 
 AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY, 
 
 1701-1703 Chestnut Street. 
 
ftatared. according to Act of Congress, in the year 1800, by tbi 
 
 American Baptist Publication Society, 
 
 In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at W&shingtoa. 
 
 Published June, 
 
 1903 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTEB L 
 A Ch*i8Tiait Church, 11 
 
 CHAPTEB IL 
 Chukch Officers, » . 14 
 
 CHAPTEB IIL 
 Church Ordinances, It 
 
 CHAPTEB IV. 
 Church Membership, 23 
 
 CHAPTEB V, 
 
 Chukch Discipline, Tt 
 
 CHAPTEB VL 
 Case* of Appeal, ft 
 
 CHAPTEB VTL 
 Church Business, <Q 
 
 9 
 
4 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VIIL 
 Christian Doctrine. 66 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Oftiokal Standing Resolutions, .... 77 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 Baptism Considered, 80 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 The Lord's Supper, 108 
 
 CHAPTER XIL 
 Ihtant Baptism, , 129 
 
 CHAPTER XIIL 
 Church Government, 140 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 Church Officers, 148 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 Baptist History, . 1M 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 It is now thirty years since the " Baptist 
 Church Directory " prepared by the writer, 
 was first published. That work was de- 
 signed to be somewhat of a consensus of 
 the opinions of those best able to judge in 
 matters of Baptist Church polity and usage, 
 especially as to what concerns administra- 
 tion and discipline. It might thus prove a 
 help to both pastors and members, particu- 
 larly in perplexing cases liable to arise, 
 Thus it was hoped it might help to rectify 
 the order and customs of our churches 
 through our widely extended ranks. This 
 hope has been realized. More than fifty 
 thousand copies of that book have been cir- 
 culated in this country. It has also been 
 translated, more or less fully, into six or 
 seven different languages by our mission- 
 aries, for use in our missions and foreign 
 fields, 
 
 !• » 
 
8 PREPACK. 
 
 But many of the churches desired a 
 smaller and less expensive manual, which 
 they could put into the hands of all their 
 members. To meet this want, sixteen years 
 ago, the writer prepared the little "Star 
 Book on Baptist Church Polity," which 
 many churches have adopted, furnishing 
 their members and candidates for member- 
 ship with them freely. This has had a cir- 
 culation of over thirty thousand copies; 
 and both this and the " Directory " are in 
 as great demand as at any previous time. 
 
 It is something more than twenty years 
 since the " Baptist Short Method," by the 
 Bame author was published. The purpose 
 of this manual was to give a concise view 
 of those distinctive features which mark 
 the difference between Baptists and other 
 denominations, especially as to the ordi- 
 nances and church order ; and also to fur- 
 nish the proofs by which our position in 
 these respects is justified. About ten thou- 
 sand copies of this book have found their 
 way into circulation. 
 
 The preparation of the present manual 
 was undertaken at the request, and by an 
 arrangement with the pastor, R. S. Mac- 
 Arthur, D. D., on behalf of the Calvary 
 
PREFACE. 7 
 
 Baptist Church, New York City, for the 
 gpecial use of that church. Something v?as 
 desired smaller than the " Directory," and 
 more ful! than the "Star Book/' embrac- 
 ing certain features of the " Short Method/' 
 When completed, it was thought to be, on 
 the whole, so much superior to anything 
 ever before prepared, as a manual for gen- 
 eral use in Baptist churches, that by mutual 
 consent, it was decided to have it published 
 for general circulation, rather than confine 
 it to the use of a single church. 
 
 To both ministers and members, such a 
 manual, it is hoped, will prove a valuable 
 helper in the interest of church order, and 
 of denominational unity and prosperity. 
 Especially for the younger members, so 
 many thousands of whom are yearly ad- 
 mitted to the fellowship of the churches, 
 with an unlimited franchise, while but im- 
 perfectly instructed as to either doctrines or 
 order, it should prove a most valuable assist- 
 ant. Concise and accurate in statement of 
 facts, transparent in arrangement of matters* 
 convenient in form, and cheap in cost, 
 pastors will find it to their own advantage, 
 as well as to that of their members, to see 
 that their churches are liberally supplied 
 
8 PREFACE. 
 
 with copies. The pastor of one of oui 
 very largest and most prosperous churches, 
 for whose use its preparation was under- 
 taken, shows his estimate of its value, and 
 sets other pastors a wise and worthy exam- 
 ple, by ordering in advance of publication, 
 one thousand copies for his church. 
 
 May the divine blessing make this, as 
 other works have been made, a means of 
 furthering good order, spiritual vitality, 
 and efficient service for Christ, in the 
 churches for which it is designed. 
 
 Mount Vernon, N. T., 
 January 84, 1890. S. T. H. 
 
STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 FOR 
 
 BAPTIST CHURCHES. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A CHRISTIAN CHTJKCH. 
 
 The word " church " is, in common lan- 
 guage, used with large latitude of meaning. 
 It is applied to a building used for Chris- 
 tian worship, to a congregation of Christian 
 worshipers, to a religious establishment, to 
 a given form of ecclesiastical order, to the 
 aggregate of all Christian believers, and to 
 a local company of Christian disciples asso- 
 ciated in covenant for religious purposes. 
 The latter is its common use in the New 
 Testament. 
 
 The Greek word ekklema, rendered 
 u church " is derived from a word meaning 
 
 9 
 
10 BTAJTOARD MAOTAX 
 
 u called out," and is used to indicate a com- 
 pany called out from a larger and more gen- 
 eral assembly or concourse of people. In the 
 free Greek cities, it designated a company 
 of persons possessed of the rights of citizen- 
 ship, and charged with certain important 
 functions of administration in public affairs, 
 summoned, or called out, from the common 
 mass of the people. In the New Testa- 
 ment, the ekJdtxia is a company of persons 
 called out and separated from the common 
 multitude by a divine calling, chosen to be 
 saints, invested with the privileges, and 
 charged with the duties of citizenship in the 
 kingdom of Christ. 
 
 A Christian church, therefore, according 
 to the New Testament idea, is a company 
 of persons divinely called and separated 
 from the world, baptized on a profession of 
 their faith in Christ, united in covenant for 
 worship and Christian service, under the 
 supreme authority of Christ, whose word is 
 their only law and rule of life in all matterg 
 of religious faith and practice. 
 
 Some Christian denominations include all 
 their congregations in one comprehensive 
 Bociety, or ecclesiastical system, under some 
 central authority, which legislates for and 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHUBOHES. 11 
 
 controls the whole. This comprehensive 
 society they call the church. Thus we 
 speak of the Roman Catholic Church, the 
 Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church 
 — where the word u church " stands for the 
 aggregate of all their local societies. With 
 Baptists it is different. They speak of 
 Baptist churches, but not of the Baptist 
 Church, when the .entire denomination is 
 meant. The Baptist Church would mean 
 some one local congregation of baptized 
 believers. 
 
 Thus was it in apostolic times. There 
 was " the church in Jerusalem," " the 
 church of the Thessalonians," " the church 
 of Babylon," " the church of the Laodi- 
 ceans " ; but " the churches of Macedonia," 
 " the churches of Asia," " the churches of 
 Judea." A church, therefore, is not a 
 system of congregations confederated under 
 a general government, but a single local 
 congregation of Christian disciples asssoci- 
 ated in covenant and meeting together for 
 worship. In this sense the word is com- 
 monly, almost uniformly, used in the New 
 Testament. 
 
 Churches are divinely instituted to be 
 * the light of the world " and " the salt 01 
 
12 STANDARD MANUAL, 
 
 the earth." They are ordained for the 
 glory of God, as " the ground and pillar of 
 the truth," in the proclamation of his gos- 
 pel and the establishment of his kingdom 
 in the world. They are commissioned to 
 preach the gospel to men, and to live the 
 gospel before men, that Christ may be 
 honored and sinners saved. They should, 
 therefore, be constantly striving to realize 
 the grand purpose of their existence and 
 fulfill the mission of their high calling. 
 That church which does the most to honor 
 Christ and save man will be the most 
 honored by him, and the most influential 
 and prosperous in all that pertains to the 
 true functions of a church. And since a 
 church, as a body, is what its individual 
 members are in their religious life and influ- 
 ence, therefore each member should strive 
 to become in holy living what he desires 
 the church to be. 
 
 Note 1.— A body of Christian disciples may fail So 
 meet some of the requirements of the gospels, and 
 still be a true church of Christ, providing it fulfills 
 the fundamental conditions of a Scriptural faith and 
 practice. 
 
 Notb 2. — But when a body ceases to acknowledge 
 and submit to Christ as its Supreme Ruler, and to 
 receive his word as its supreme law, then it ceases to 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. 13 
 
 be a true church, and is simply a religious society, 
 though it may still accept some of his doctrines and 
 practice some of his precepts. 
 
 Notb 3. — A church is not a legislative, but an 
 executive body. It cannot make laws, but only obey 
 and administer those which Christ has given in the 
 New Testament. He is the only Lawmaker in Zion. 
 
 Notb 4. — But in matters pertaining to order and 
 methods of administration, merely optional and dis- 
 cretionary, not Involving fundamental principles, the 
 church is to exercise its liberty, so long as it does not 
 contravene Scriptural teaching or infringe the rights 
 of its members. 
 
 Note 5. — And still further, while a church cannot 
 become an authoritative expounder of either truth or 
 duty, to bind the consciences even of its members, 
 yet it does possess a judicial function for the inter- 
 pretation and the enforcement of the laws of Christ 
 for itself as a body, and, therefore, for its members, 
 so far as their relation to the compact is concerned. 
 
 Notb 6.— Each church owes courtesy and comity, 
 fellowship and fraternity, to all others ; but it owe* 
 subjection and allegiance to none, and is under au- 
 thority to Christ alone. 
 
 Notb 7. — In matters of business and in the exercise 
 of its authority in administration, the will of the 
 church is expressed by a majority vote of its mem- 
 bers. But the nearer that majority approaches to 
 unanimity, the more satisfactory and emphatic are 
 its decisions. 
 
 Notb 3. — Councils may be called, presbyteries con- 
 vened, or committees of reference chosen for advice 
 in cases of moment, but they are all advisory only, 
 and in no case authoritative. There is no higher, 
 and no other eourt of appeal in ecclesiastical affairs, 
 than the individual church. 
 
14 fTAJTDARD MANUAL 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 CHURCH OFFICERS. 1 
 
 The Scriptural officers of a church are 
 bishops and deacons. Bishops are in the 
 New Testament also called "presbyters," 
 " elders," and "overseers." Their duties 
 and services have mainly reference to 
 the spiritual interests of the body, though 
 they properly have the oversight of all its 
 concerns. The deacons have principal 
 charge of the temporalities of the church, 
 so as to relieve the pastor in that depart- 
 ment of labor. They are, however, to be 
 counselors and helpers of the pastor in all 
 departments of his work. The qualifica- 
 tions for both offices are set forth in the 
 Epistles to Timothy and Titus. 
 
 Notb 1. — Pastors and deacons, as teachers and 
 leaders of the flock, cannot be selected for and Im- 
 posed upon the churches by any external authority 
 whatever, either civic or religious ; but are elected 
 
 i This and sereral of the following section* are c onsistent 
 with the M Star Book on Baptist Church Polity," on the same 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHES. 15 
 
 and chosen by the free suffrages of the members, 
 without compulsion or restraint, from among them- 
 selves, or those who are to become identified with 
 them in fellowship. 
 
 Note 2. — In the election of either a paster ox 
 deacon, notice cf such election should be given from 
 the pulpit for at least two Sundays preceding the 
 time for the same. The election should be by ballot, 
 and at least three-qtutrter$ of the votes cast should be 
 necessary for the election of a pastor, and ttoo-thirds 
 for the election of a deacon. Such election should 
 be preceded by prayer for divine direction, and con- 
 ducted without partisan devices or personal strife. 
 
 Note 8. — Both pastors and deacons are properly 
 elected for unlimited terms of service, the relation to 
 continue so long as there shall be mutual satisfaction. 
 Such a course tends less to depreciate and make 
 aervile the officers and their duties in the estimation 
 of the people, and of those who bear them, than a 
 limited and specified time, though deacons are some- 
 times, and perhaps properly, chosen for a limited term 
 of service, subject to re-election, at the option of the 
 ehurch. 
 
 Note 4. — The church is to fix on the amount of 
 •alary necessary to a generous support of the pastor 
 and hold itself obligated by every consideration of 
 Christian honor for the prompt and regular payment 
 of the same. To fail in this is as dishonorable to the 
 ehurch as it is unjust and vexatious to the pastor. 
 
 Note 5.— The call to a pastor issues from the 
 thureh as a body, which also designates the amount 
 of salary to be paid. It is in some sections usual, 
 though not essential, to have subsequently a meeting 
 of the entire congregation or society to approve or 
 confirm the call. In some States it is neccessary for 
 the trustees, as the legal representatives of the cor- 
 poration, to confirm the action officially, so far as the 
 salary is concerned, before it can become legal. 
 
16 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 Note 6. — The number of deacons is optional with 
 the church. It la usually from three to seven. Let it 
 be so many as the church needs and can find suitable 
 candidates for the supply. But they should never be 
 elected simply to fill the office, and never unless there 
 be persons whose fitness for the office is generally 
 conceded. 
 
 Note 7. — The relations between pastor and the 
 church may be dissolved at the option of either^ bj 
 giving three months notice ; or otherwise, by mutua) 
 consent. Between the deacons and the church, the 
 relations may be dissolved at the option of eithe* 
 without previous notice. 
 
 Note 8. — A church clerk is elected annually, at a 
 business meeting, by a majority vote. It is an office 
 of convenience, for keeping the minutes and preserv- 
 ing the records of the body. Also trustees are elected 
 by the church, or if the law so requires, by a society. 
 Thefr duties are the care of the property and the 
 management of finances. But these are not consid- 
 ered 8criptural church officers ; deacons might prop- 
 erly discharge all the functions of these offices, i 
 
 Note 9. — The offices of trust and service in a 
 
 * In uome State* the laws do not recognize the church, that 
 being a spiritual body, but incorporate a society, as it la called, 
 eon elating of all parsons of foil age who attend and support 
 the worship. This society has charge of the financial affairs 
 of the church, hold and keep in repair its property, and con- 
 duct its secular concerns. It elects a specified number of 
 trustees, as provided for bylaw, who are the legal represents- 
 tires of the corporation. The members of the society, and the 
 trustees elected, may or may not be members of the church. 
 This whole society arrangement ia a relict of the old New 
 England pariah system of the standing order, and is incon- 
 sistent with the freedom of ohurch action, and antagonistic to 
 Baptist Church independence. It is anti-Baptistic and anti- 
 Scriptural, a church should be allowed to manage its own 
 affairs, both temporal and spiritual : and should be protected 
 few law in doing so. The society system has been abrogated i» 
 ■tost of the States. 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHES. 17 
 
 ehurch should be as widely distributed among the 
 members as possible, consistently with the welfare of 
 the body. This rule should seldom be disregarded. 
 No one man should hold more than one office at the 
 same time, unless the interests of the body absolutely 
 demand it. If offices are honors, they should be 
 widely dispensed ; if they are burdens, they certainly 
 should be. For the same man to hold two or three 
 >mces is as unjust to him as it is to his brethren. 
 
 Notb 10. — A church cannot unite in any corporate 
 capacity with other organizations for religious, be- 
 aevolent, moral reform, or other purposes ; but it may 
 Operate with these for any good object, and give to 
 such societies its moral support, sympathy, and pe- 
 cuniary aid. 
 
 Note 11. — But members of churchee can, aa Indi- 
 viduals, unite with outside organizations, for any 
 purpose, not inconsistent with their profession as 
 Christians, and not injurious to their church rela- 
 tions and duties. 
 
 Not* 12. — Churches cannot alienate their respon- 
 sibilities, nor delegate their authority to any man, or 
 to any body of men, to act officially for them. But 
 they can appoint persons to bear messages, and te 
 perform services for them, under instruction, and t» 
 report their action to the body. 
 
18 STAND ABD MANUAL 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 CHURCH ORDINANCES. 
 
 Christian ordinances, in the largest sense, 
 are any institutions, or regulations of divine 
 appointment, established as means of grace 
 for the good of men, or as acts of worship 
 for the honor of God. In that sense, not 
 only are baptism and the Lord's Supper 
 ordinances, but preaching, prayer, hearing 
 the word, fasting, and thanksgiving are also 
 ordinances, since all are of divine appoint- 
 ment. But, in a narrower sense, it is com- 
 mon to say that baptism and the Lord 1 8 Sup- 
 per are the only ordinances appointed by 
 Christ to be observed by his churches. 
 These are the only emblematic and com- 
 memorative rites enjoined upon his disciples, 
 by which they are to be distinguished, and 
 he is to be honored. They are the two 
 symbols and witnesses of the New Cove- 
 nant, the two monuments of the New Dis- 
 pensation. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHTJBCHE8. 19 
 
 Baptism is the immersion, or dipping, of 
 a candidate in water, on a profession of his 
 faith in Christ and on evidence of regenera- 
 tion ; the baptism to be ministered in, or 
 into the name of the Father, the Son, and 
 Holy Spirit. It represents the burial and 
 resurrection of Christ, and in a figure de- 
 clares the candidate's death to sin and the 
 world, and his rising to a new life. It also 
 proclaims the washing of regeneration, and 
 professes the candidate's hope of a resurrec- 
 tion from the dead, through him into the 
 likeness of whose death he is buried in bap- 
 tism. 
 
 The Lord's Supper is a provision of bread 
 and wine, used to represent the body and 
 the blood of Christ, partaken of by mem- 
 bers of the church assembled for that pur- 
 pose ; in which service they commemorate 
 the love of Christ exhibited in his death for 
 them, and profess their faith and participa- 
 tion in the merits of his sacrifice as the only 
 ground of their hope of eternal life. 
 
 Notb 1.— No person can rightfully or properly be- 
 come & church member except he be first baptized, as 
 the distinguishing mark and profession of his disci* 
 pleship. 
 
 Notx 2. — The Supper is a church ordinance, and 
 therefore is the privilege of church members only. 
 
W 8TANDARD MANUAL 
 
 Therefore, also, since baptism precedes church mem- 
 bership, it must precede and be pre-requisite to the 
 Lord's Supper. 
 
 Note 3. — Since the Supper is distinctively a church 
 ordinance, it is to be observed by churches only, and 
 not by individuals ; neither in private places, nor in 
 sick rooms, nor on social occasions, and not by com- 
 panies of disciples other than churches. But a church 
 may by appointment, and in its official capacity, meet 
 in a private house, a sick room, or wherever it may 
 elect, and there observe the Supper. 
 
 Notk 4.— Both ordinances are ordinarily and prop- 
 erly administered by ordained and accredited minis- 
 ters ; but both would be equally valid if administered 
 by unordained persons, should occasion require and 
 the church so direct. As to the qualifications of the 
 administrator, the New Testament is silent, except 
 that he should be a disciple. 
 
 Note 5. — As to the time, place, and frequency of 
 the ordinances, no Scriptural directions are given. 
 These are left optional with the churches. They are 
 usually observed on Sundays, but not necessarily. 
 As to the Supper, our churches have very generally 
 come to observe it on the first Sunday of each month. 
 
 Notk 6. — The participation of the elements in the 
 Supper should be done according to the special direc- 
 tion of Christ, the Head of the body. u This do in 
 remembrance of m«." It it not, therefore, a test or 
 token of Christian fellowship, except incidentally. 
 All thought and sympathy in the service should be 
 centered on him who is " the living bread," and not 
 axed on others. 
 
 Note 7. — The ordinances are not tacramenU, as 
 taught by some, conveying effectual grace to the soul 
 and Imparting spiritual life. But as divinely ap- 
 pointed means of grace, their importance must no* 
 be undervalued. They cannot be neglected without 
 suffering serious harm and incurring the grave*t re- 
 sponsibility. 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. 21 
 
 Notb 6. — Baptism Is not essential to salvation, fer 
 oar churches utterly repudiate the dogma of " bap- 
 tismal regeneration ''" ; but it is essential to obedience, 
 since Christ has commanded it. It is also essential to 
 a public confession of Christ before the world, and to 
 membership in the church which is his body. And na 
 true lover of his Lord will refuse these acts of obedi 
 anee and tokens of affection 
 
STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 CHURCH MEMBERSHIP. 
 
 It is most likely that in the Apostolic ag« 
 when there was but " one Lord, one faith, 
 and one baptism," and no differing denomi- 
 nations existed, the baptism of a convert 
 by that very act, constituted him a member 
 of the church, and at once endowed him 
 with all the rights and privileges of full 
 membership. In that sense, " baptism was 
 the door into the church." Now, it is 
 different ; and while the churches are desir- 
 ous of receiving members, they are wary 
 and cautious that they do not receive 
 unworthy persons. The churches therefore 
 have candidates come before them, make 
 their statement, give their " experience," 
 and then their reception is decided by a 
 vote of the members. And while they can- 
 not become members without baptism, yet 
 it is the vote of the body which admits 
 them to its fellowship on receiving baptism. 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. 28 
 
 There are three classes of candidates, and 
 modes of reception to membership. 
 
 1. By baptism. — The church having lis- 
 tened to the religious experience of the 
 candidate, and being satisfied with the same, 
 and with his Christian deportment, votes to 
 receive him to its fellowship, "on being 
 baptized." 
 
 2. By letter. — The candidate presents a 
 letter of dismission and recommendation 
 from some other Baptist church with which 
 he has been connected, for the purpose ot 
 transferring his membership to this. The 
 church, being satisfied, votes to receive him 
 into fellowship. 
 
 3. By experience. — Persons having been 
 baptized, but for some reason being with- 
 out membership in any church, wish to be 
 received. They, giving satisfactory evi- 
 dence of Christian character, and substan- 
 tial agreement in matters of faith and prac- 
 tice, are received by vote, as in other cases, 
 
 Notb 1. — Persons cannot be received to member- 
 ship on the credit of letters from other denominations. 
 8uch letters are, however, accepted, as certificates of 
 Christian character, and of church standing. 
 
 Notb 2.— -While the churches do not require candi- 
 dates to sign any creed, confesaion, or articles of 
 faith, yet they do expect a substantial agreement la 
 
34 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 matters of faith and practice on their part as essential 
 both to the comfort of the individual, and the har- 
 mony of the body. 
 
 Notb S. — Should any member object to the recep- 
 tion of a candidate, tuch reception should be deferred, 
 in order to consider the reasons for the objection. 
 Objections judged groundless or unreasonable should 
 not prevent the reception of a suitable candidate ; yet 
 no one should be received except by a unanimous or 
 nearly unanimous vote. 
 
 Notb 4. It is customary for candidates, after their 
 experience or letters have been presented, to retirs 
 while the church deliberates and acts upon their case. 
 
 Notb 5. — Any member in good standing, is entitled, 
 at any time, to a letter of dismission, in the usual 
 form, with which to unite with another church of the 
 same faith and order. 
 
 Notb 6. — Letters are usually made valid for six 
 month* only, during which time they must be used, if 
 used at all. But if held longer, they may be renewed 
 by the church, if satisfactory reasons are given for 
 their non-nse. 
 
 Notb 7.— Each one receiving a letter is still a mem- 
 ber of the church, and under its watcbcare and dis- 
 cipline, until his letter is actually received by another 
 chsurch. 
 
 Notb 8. — Letters cannot be given to members for 
 the purpose of uniting with churches with which we 
 are net in fellowship. But any member is entitled, 
 at any time, to receive a certificate of standing, and 
 Christian character. 
 
 Not* 9. — No member can withdraw from the church, 
 or have his name dropped, or at his own request be 
 mcludcd from the fellowship of the body without due 
 process of discipline. 
 
 Notb 10. — Nor can a member have a letter voted 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES, 2ft 
 
 and forced upon him without hi» wish and consent 
 Such would be a virtual expulsion from the body. If 
 worthy to receive a letter, he cannot be forced out of 
 the church against his will. 
 
 Notb 11. — Members living remote from the church 
 are expected to unite with some Baptist church near 
 their residence ; or give satisfactory reasons for not 
 doing so. When they cannot so unite, they are ex- 
 pected to report themselves to the church at least 
 once each year, and contribute to its support, till they 
 cease to be members. 
 
 Notb 12. — Letters of dismission may be revoked 
 at any time before being used, if, in the judgment of 
 the church, there be sufficient cause for such action, 
 
 Notb 13.— Church fellowship will be withdrawn 
 from members who unite with other denominations ; 
 because, however excellent their character, or sincere 
 their intentions, they have broken covenant with the 
 church, and by such act have placed themselvea 
 beyond the limits of its fellowship. 
 
 Notb 14. — Persons excluded from other churches 
 are not to be received to membership, except after the 
 most careful investigation of all the facts in the case, 
 and not unless it be manifest that the exclusion w« 
 unjustifiable, and that the church excluding persist- 
 ently refuses to do justice to the excluded member. 
 
 Notb 15.— A letter is usually asked for and 
 addressed to a particular church. This is proper, 
 but not always necessary. It may in certain cases be 
 asked for, and given " to any church of the same 
 faith and order/' Or if directed to one, it may be 
 presented to, and received by another. 
 
 Notb 16.— It is expected that all pecuniary liability 
 to the church will be canceled, and all personal diffi- 
 culties in the church will be settled by a member, 
 should such exist, before he shall receive a letter « 
 dismission. 
 
26 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 Notb 17. — Each member, without exception, it ex- 
 pected to fill Ma place in the church, by attendance 
 on its appointments, as Providence may allow, and 
 also to contribute of his means for the pecuniary 
 support of the body, according to his ability. If in 
 either of these respects he fails, and refuses, he be- 
 comes a covenant-breaker, and is subject to the disci- 
 pline of the body. 
 
 Notb 18. — Persons excluded from the church may 
 oe again received to its fellowship on satisfactory 
 evidence of fitness. This is called reception by resto- 
 ration, and is usually so entered on the records, and 
 In associational reports. 
 
 Notb 19. — It is neither a Christian nor an honor- 
 able course for a church to grant an unworthy mem- 
 ber a valid letter, and send him to another church as 
 one in good and regular standing, in order to be rid 
 of a disturber of the peace, or to avoid the trouble of 
 a course of discipline. 
 
 Notb 20. — No church is obliged to receive a person 
 to membership, simply because he brings a valid 
 letter from another church. Each church Is to be 
 sole judge of the qualifications of persons to be 
 received to its fellowship. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 27 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 CHURCH DISCIPLINE. 
 
 Church members are supposed to be re- 
 generate persons bearing the image and 
 cherishing the spirit of Christ, in whom the 
 peace of God rules, and who walk and 
 work in " the unity of the Spirit, and the 
 bond of peace." But unhappily, even the 
 saints are sanctified only in part, and 
 troubles sometimes arise among brethren. 
 The evil passions of even good men may 
 triumph over piety, and partisan strife may 
 destroy the peace and the prosperity of the 
 body of Christ. All this should, if possi- 
 ble, be avoided. Corrective discipline seeks 
 to heal offenses ; but it is better to prevent 
 them, than to heal them. It is, however, 
 better to heal and remove, than to endure 
 them. 
 
 Now these offenses and occasions of dis- 
 sension in the churches arise from various 
 causes, and are largely preventable. Most 
 
ZO STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 frequently they come by the following 
 means: 
 
 1. Because of the too suspicious and 
 sensitive disposition of some who imagine 
 themselves wronged, neglected, or in some 
 way injured ; the matter being chiefly imagi- 
 nary, and without any real foundation in 
 fact. 
 
 2. Because the pastor, deacons, and in- 
 fluential members do not carefully and con- 
 stantly enough watch the beginnings of 
 strife, and rectify the evil before it becomes 
 serious. 
 
 3. Because evil-doers by delay become 
 more persistent in evil, while others are 
 drawn into the strife, and contentious parties 
 insensibly are formed, which tend to divide 
 the church into hostile factions. 
 
 4. Because that when the difficulty be- 
 comes chronic and deep-seated, the church 
 is likely to undertake the discipline with 
 judicial severity, and not in the spirit of 
 meekness, in which the spiritual should re- 
 store the erring. 
 
 5. Because that a case of discipline un- 
 dertaken under excitement is almost certain 
 to be wrongly conducted. Even if the result 
 reached be just and right, the method by 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHEB. 29 
 
 which it is reached is likely to be unwise, 
 unjust, and oppressive to individuals, pos- 
 sibly producing more serious and more last- 
 ing evils than it ha3 removed. 
 
 Offenses calling for discipline are usually 
 considered as of two classes ; private or per- 
 sonal, and public or general. These terms 
 do not very accurately express the nature of 
 the offenses, but they are in common use, 
 and capable of being understood. In the 
 administration of corrective discipline y the 
 following rules and principles constitute a 
 correct and Scriptural course of proceeding. 
 
 PBIVATE OFFENSES. 
 
 Private offenses pertain to personal diffi- 
 culties between individuals, having no direct 
 reference to the church as a body, and not 
 involving the Christian profession at large. 
 In such cases, the course prescribed by our 
 Saviour (Matt. 18 : 15-17) is to be strictly 
 followed, without question or deviation. 
 
 1. First step. — The member who con- 
 siders himself injured must go to the 
 offender, tell him his grief, and between 
 themselves alone, if possible, adjust and 
 settle the difficulty. " If thy brother shall 
 trespass against thee, go and tell him his 
 8* 
 
90 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 fault, between thee and him alone." Thie 
 most be done, not to charge, upbraid-, or 
 condemn the offender, but to win him. " If 
 he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy 
 brother." 
 
 2. Second step. — If this shall fail, then 
 the offended member must take one 01 two 
 of the brethren with him as witnesses, seek 
 an interview with the offender, and, if pos- 
 sible, by their united wisdom and piety, 
 remove the offense and harmonize the dif- 
 ficulty , " But if he will not hear thee, then 
 take with thee one or two more, that in the 
 mouth of two or three witnesses, every word 
 may be established." 
 
 3. Tldrd step. — If this step should prove 
 unavailing, then the offended member must 
 tell the whole matter to the churchy and 
 leave it in their hands to be disposed of, as 
 to them may seem wisest and best. " And 
 if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to 
 the church." He has done his duty and 
 must abide by the decision of the body 
 which assumes this responsibility. 
 
 4. The result. — If this course of kindly 
 Christian labor proves finally ineffectual, 
 and the offender shows himself incorrigible, 
 excision must follow. He must be cut off 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. 81 
 
 from fellowship in the church whose cove- 
 nant he has broken, and whose authority 
 he disregards. "And if he neglect to hear 
 the church, let hira be unto thee as an 
 heathen man, and a publican." However 
 painful the act, the church must be faithful 
 to its duty, and to its God. 
 
 Note 1. — While this divine rale makes it obliga- 
 tory on the offended member to go to the offender and 
 seek a reconciliation, yet much more is it obligatory 
 on the offender who knows that a brother is grieved 
 with him, to seek such an one, and try to remove the 
 difficulty. 
 
 Note 2.— The matter is not to be made public until 
 these three steps have been fully taken, and have 
 failed ; and then to be made public only by telling 
 the church, and no others. 
 
 Note 8. — When the case comes before the church, 
 tt must not be neglected, nor dropped, but judiciously 
 pursued until the difficulty be adjusted, the offense 
 removed, or else the offender be disfellowshipped, and 
 put away. 
 
 PUBLIC OFFENSES. 
 
 Publio offenses are not against any one 
 person more than another, but are such as 
 are supposed to be a dishonor to the church 
 of which the offender is a member, and a 
 reproach to the Christian profession. They 
 constitute a violation of the code of Chris- 
 tian morals, if not of our common worldly 
 morals. 
 
32 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 The more common causes of this class of 
 offenses are the following : False doctrine 
 (Gal. 1 : 9 ; 2 John 10), disregard of au- 
 thority (Matt. 18:17; 1 Thess. 6 : 14), con- 
 tention und strife (Rom. 16 : 17), immoral 
 conduct (1 Cor. 5 : 11), disorderly walk 
 (2 Thess. 3 : 6, 9), covetous spirit (Eph. 5 : 
 5 ; 1 Cor. 5:11), arrogant conduct (3 John 
 9), going to law (1 Cor. 6 : 6). 
 
 The following constitutes a proper and 
 Scriptural course of treatment for such 
 
 1. The first member who has knowledge 
 of the offense should, as in the case of pri- 
 vate offenses, seek the offender, ascertain the 
 facts, and attempt to reconcile or remove 
 the difficulty. Not till he has done this 
 should he make it public, or bring it before 
 the church. 
 
 2. But if no one will, or can, pursue this 
 course of personal effort, or if such a course 
 proves unsuccessful, then any member hav- 
 ing knowledge of the facts should confer 
 with the pastor and deacons as to the best 
 course to Be pursued. 
 
 3. The pastor and deacons should, by the 
 best method they are capable of devising, 
 labor to adjust the matter without bringing 
 
FOB BAPTIST OHUBCHBS. II 
 
 it into the church, or otherwise making it 
 public. 
 
 4. But if their efforts fail, or if the cast 
 be already public, aud a reproach and scan- 
 dal to religion, then they should bring it to 
 the church, and it should direct a proper 
 course of discipline. 
 
 5. The church, thus having the case be- 
 fore it, should either appoint a committee 
 to visit the offender, or cite him before the 
 body to answer the charge. He should be 
 allowed to hear the evidence against him, 
 know the witnesses, and be permitted to an- 
 swer for himself. 
 
 6. If the accused disproves the charges, 
 or if he confesses the wrong, makes suitable 
 acknowledgment, and, so far as possible, 
 reparation, with promise of amendment, in 
 all ordinary cases, this should be deemed 
 satisfactory, and the case be dismissed. 
 
 7. But if, after patient, deliberate, and 
 prayerful labor, all efforts fail to reclaim 
 the offender, then, however painful the ne- 
 cessity, the church must withdraw its fel- 
 lowship from him, and put him away from 
 them. 
 
 8. If the case be one of flagrant immor- 
 ality, by which the reputation of th* % ^\dy 
 
84 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 if compromised and the Christian name 
 ■candalized, on being proven or confessed, 
 the hand of fellowship may be at once with- 
 drawn from the offender, notwithstanding 
 any confessions and promises of amend- 
 ment j but not without a trial. 
 
 The church's good name and the honor 
 of religion demand this testimony against 
 evil. He may be subsequently restored, if 
 suitably penitent. 
 
 Notk. 1. — All discipline should be conducted in the 
 spirit of Christian meekness and love, with a desire 
 to remove offenses and win offenders. It must also he 
 done under a deep sense of responsibility to maintain 
 the honor of Christ's name, the purity of his church, 
 and the integrity of his truth. 
 
 Notk 2. — If any member shall persist in bringing a 
 private grievance before the church, or otherwiae 
 make it public, before he has pursued the course pre- 
 scribed in the eighteenth chapter of Matthew, he 
 becomes himself an offender, and subject to the disci- 
 pline of the body. 
 
 Not* 3. — When private difficulties exist among 
 members, which they cannot, or will not settle, the 
 church should consider them as public offenses, and 
 aa such dispose of them, rather than suffer the per- 
 petual Injury which they inflict. 
 
 Notb 4. — When a member refers to the church 
 any private difficulty, which he has been unable to 
 settle, he must submit it wholly to the disposition of 
 the body, and abide by its decision. If he attempt! 
 to revive and prosecute it beyond the decision of the 
 
FOR BAPTIST OHUBCHS& 35 
 
 church, he becomes an offender, and subject to disci- 
 
 Not i 5. — Any member tried bj the church has the 
 right to receive copies of all charges against him. the 
 names of his accusers and the witnesses, both of wnom 
 he shall hare the privilege of meeting face to face, 
 hearing their statements, bringing witnesses on his 
 side, and answering for himself before the body. 
 
 Notb 6.— Every member, on trial or excluded, shall 
 have furnished, at his request, authentic copies of all 
 proceedings had by the church in his case, officially 
 certified. 
 
 Notb 7. — No member under discipline can have the 
 right to bring any person, not a member, before the 
 church as his advocate, except by consent of the 
 body. 
 
 Notb 6. — In every case of exclusion, the charges 
 against the member, and the reasons for his exclu- 
 sion, should be accurately entered on the records of 
 the church. 
 
 Notb 9. — If at any time it shall become apparent, 
 or seem probable to the church that it has for any 
 reason dealt unjustly with a member, or excluded hiss 
 without sufficient cause, it should at once, and with- 
 out request, by concession and restoration, so far as 
 possible, repair the Injury it has done him. 
 
 Notb 10. — The church should hold itself bound to 
 restore to its fellowship an excluded member when- 
 ever he gives satisfactory evidence of repentance arid 
 reformation consistent with godliness. 
 
 Notb 11. — The church will exercise its legitimate 
 authority, and vindicate its honor and rectitude is 
 the administration of discipline, even though the 
 member should regard such discipline as unjust •? 
 oppressive. 
 
86 STANDARD MAJTUAL 
 
 Koth IS.— Nothing can bo considered a just and 
 reasonable cause for discipline, except what is for- 
 bidden by the letter or the spirit of Scripture. And 
 nothing can be considered a sufficient cause for dls- 
 fellowship and exclusion, except what Is clearly con- 
 trary to Scripture, and what would have prevented 
 the reception of the person into the church, had it 
 been known to exist at the time of his reception. 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCH] 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 CASES OF APPEAL. 
 
 Cases of difficulty and discipline do 
 sometimes occur, go aggravated in their na- 
 ture or so complicated in their treatment that 
 it is found impossible to make a satisfactory 
 settlement by ordinary methods ; especially 
 so if discipline has ended in exclusion. The 
 excluded member will be almost sure to 
 think he has been dealt with unjustly, and 
 will wish for some redress ; and if the case 
 has been of long standing and much com- 
 plicated, he will be equally sure to have 
 others sympathize with him and condemn 
 the action of the church. Now, although 
 the presumption is that the church has done 
 right, and is justified in its action, the pos- 
 t&Uity is that the church has done wrong, 
 and is censurable for its action. 
 
 What can be done in such a case ? 
 
 Wow 1.— On the New Testament theory of chorea 
 ffoyernment, the action of the indlridual local church 
 
 4 
 
S3 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 U final. There is no power, either civil or ecclesiaa- 
 tlcal, that can reverse its decision or punish it for 
 wrongdoing. It may make mistakes, but no human 
 tribunal has authority to compel it to confess or cor- 
 rect them. 
 
 * 
 Notb 2. — Councils, if appealed to for redress, have 
 no authority ; they are simply, always, and everywhere 
 sdvuory — that, and nothing more. They can express 
 an opinion, and give advice ; but they have no au- 
 thority to issue decrees, and would have no power to 
 enforce them if they should. 1 
 
 Notb 3. — Any person who believes himself wronged 
 by church action has the inalienable right to appeal 
 to the church for a new hearing, and, failing in this, 
 to ask the counsel and advice ox brethren, should he 
 see fit to do so. 
 
 Now observe — If an excluded member 
 believes himself unjustly dealt by, and 
 wishes redress, the following is the proper 
 course for him to pursue : 
 
 1. Apply to the church which excluded, 
 and ask a re-hearing. State to them the 
 grounds of his complaint and the evidence 
 on which he thinks he can satisfy them, if 
 a fair opportunity for being heard be given 
 him. 
 
 2. If they refuse him a re-hearing, let 
 him appeal to them to unite with him in 
 calling a mutual council, before which the 
 
 1 For t more oomprehensire disouision of council*— what the* 
 aan, *nd what they oannot do, how to call. and how to cm 
 eo th« " Star Book on Baptist Council*." 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHE8. 89 
 
 irhoie case shall be placed, all parties to 
 abide by its decision. 
 
 3. If a mutual council be declined by 
 the church, he would be fully justified, 
 should he feel so inclined, in calling an ex 
 parte council, before which he should place 
 the facts and seek its advice. 
 
 4. Or, instead of calling an ex parte coun- 
 cil, he could apply to some other church to 
 be received to its fellowship, on the ground 
 that he had been unjustly excluded. Should 
 he be received to another church, that would 
 give him church standing and fellowship 
 again, and vindicate him so far as any eccle- 
 siastical action could vindicate him. 
 
 6. If all these resorts fail, there is noth- 
 ing left but for him to wait patiently and 
 bear the burden of his wrong until Provi- 
 dence opens the way for his deliverance. 
 He may, after all, conclude that he himself 
 was more in fault than he at first supposed, 
 and the church less so. 
 
 Not a 4.— An ex parte council should not be called 
 In su;h a case of difficulty until all efforts hare failed 
 to eecure a mutual council ; as such a council, It 
 called, would probably do nothing more than advise 
 a mutual council and adjourn. 
 
 Notb 5.— Any church can well afford to grant a 
 re-hearing to an excluded member. It would be Uj 
 
40 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 the Interest of peace, justice, and reconciliation. If 
 the church be right, It can afford to be generous. 
 
 Not» ft. — Any church hag the right to receive a 
 member excluded from another church, since each 
 ehurch is sole judge of the qualification of persons 
 received to Its fellowship. But any church so ap- 
 pealed to would use great caution, and, with due 
 regard to its own peace and purity, ascertain all the 
 facts in the case before taking such action. 
 
 Not* 7. — If a mutual council be called, one-half 
 the messengers and members are to be chosen by the 
 ihurch and one-half by the aggrieved party ; but the 
 letter* miisiw calling the council are to be sent out by 
 end in the name of the church, and not of the ag- 
 grieved party. But these facts, as to the mutual call, 
 we to be stated in the letters. 
 
 Nots 8. — A church excluding a member has no 
 just cause of complaint against another church for 
 receiving such an excluded member, since the one 
 ihurch is just as independent to receive one whom it 
 ludges worthy of fellowship, as the other is to exclude 
 one whom it judged unworthy of fellowship. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 41 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 CHURCH BUSINESS. 
 
 The business meetings of a church should 
 be conducted as much as possible in the 
 spirit of devotion, and under a sense of the 
 propriety and sanctity which attaches to all 
 the interests of the kingdom of Christ. 
 Meetings for business should not be need- 
 lessly multiplied, nor should they be un« 
 wisely neglected. It may not be wise to 
 insist too rigidly on the observance of par- 
 liamentary rules, yet it is still worse to drift 
 into a loose unbusinesslike way, which 
 wastes time, accomplishes little, and doe* 
 wrongly much that is done. 
 
 ORDER OF BUSINESS. 
 
 1. The meetings to be opened with read- 
 ing the Scriptures, singing, and prayer. 
 
 2. The reading, correction, and approval 
 o£ the minutes of the preceding meeting. 
 
 3. Unfinished business, or such as the 
 4* 
 
42 STANDARD MANUAX 
 
 minutes present, including reports of oom- 
 mittee taken in order. 
 
 4. New business will next be taken up. 
 
 Any member may call up new business. 
 
 But important matters should not be pre- 
 
 1 sented, except on previous consultation with 
 
 the pastor and deacons. 
 
 Notb 1. — The pastor is, by virtue of his office, mod- 
 erator of all church business meetings. If he be not 
 present, or do not wish to serve, any one may be 
 elected to take the place. 
 
 Notb 2. — All business meetings, both regular and 
 special, should be announced from the pulpit one 
 Sunday, at least, before they are held. 
 
 Notb 8. — Special meetings for business may be 
 called at any time, by consent of the pastor and dea 
 cons, or by such other methods as the church itself 
 may direct. 
 
 Notb 4.— Though a majority usually decides ques- 
 tions, yet in all matters of special importance a unan- 
 imous, or nearly unanimous, vote should be secured. 
 
 Notb 5.— Members may be received, and letters of 
 dismission granted, either at the business church 
 meeting, the covenant meeting, or the regular weekly 
 prayer meeting, the church so directing. Some fixed 
 method should be observed. 
 
 Notb 0.— Candidates for admission to membership 
 will be expected to retire from the meeting when 
 action is taken on their reception. . 
 
 Notb 7. — No persons, except members, will be presv 
 •nt during the transaction of church business* If 
 present, tcey may be asked to retire. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 48 
 
 Not* 8.— Although the church should endeavor to 
 do nothing' which Its members will be ashamed or 
 afraid to hare known by others, yet every member is 
 bound, by the honor of a Christian, not to publish 
 abroad, nor disclose to those without, the private 
 affairs and business transactions of the body. 
 
 RULES OF ORDER. 
 
 The following constitute the generally 
 accepted rules of order for churches and 
 other deliberative bodies in business pro- 
 ceedings : 
 
 Motions. 
 
 1. All business shall be presented by a 
 motion, made by one member, and seconded 
 by another, and presented in writing by the 
 mover, if so required. 
 
 2. No discussion can properly be had 
 until the motion is made, seconded, and 
 stated by the chairman. 
 
 3. A motion cannot be withdrawn after 
 it has been discussed, except by the unani- 
 mous consent of the body. 
 
 4. A motion having been discussed, must 
 be put to vote, unless withdrawn, laid on 
 the table, referred, or postponed. 
 
 5. A motion lost should not be recorded, 
 except so ordered by the body at the time. 
 
 6. A motion lost cannot be renewed at the 
 lame meeting, except by unanimous consent. 
 
44 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 7. A motion should contain but one dis- 
 tinct proposition. If it contains more, it 
 must be divided at the request of any mem- 
 ber, and the propositions acted on sepa- 
 rately. 
 
 8. Only one question can properly be be- 
 fore the meeting at the same time. No sec- 
 ond motion can be allowed to interrupt 
 one already under debate, except a motion 
 to amend, to substitute, to commit, to post- 
 pone, to lay on the table, for the previous 
 question, or to adjourn. 
 
 9. These subsidiary motions just named 
 cannot be interrupted by any other motion ; 
 nor can any other motion be applied to 
 them, except that to amend, which may be 
 done by specifying some time, place, or pur- 
 pose. 
 
 10. Nor can these motions interrupt or 
 supersede each other ,' only that a motion to 
 adjourn is always in order, except while a 
 member has the floor, or a question is being 
 taken, and in some bodies even then. 
 
 Amendments. 
 1. Amendments may be made to resolu- 
 tions in three ways : By omitting, by adding, 
 or by substituting words or sentence*. 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHES. 40 
 
 2. An amendment to an amendment maj 
 be made, but is seldom necessary, and should 
 be avoided. 
 
 3. No amendment should be made which 
 essentially changes the meaning or deiiigD 
 of the original resolution. 
 
 4. But a substitute may be offered, which 
 may change entirely the meaning of the res- 
 olution under debate. 
 
 6. The amendment must first be discussed 
 and acted on, and then the original resolu- 
 tion as amended. 
 
 Speaking. 
 
 1. Any member desiring to speak on a 
 question should rise in his place, and address 
 the moderator, confine his remarks to the 
 question, and avoid all unkind and disre- 
 spectful language. 
 
 2. A speaker using improper language, 
 introducing improper subjects, or otherwise 
 out of order, should be called to order by 
 the chairman, or any member, and must 
 either conform to the regulations of the 
 body, or take his seat. 
 
 3. A member while speaking can allow 
 others to ask questions, or make explana- 
 
40 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 tions ; but if he yields the floor to another, 
 he cannot claim it again as his right. 
 
 4. If two members rise to speak at the 
 same time, preference is usually given to 
 the one farthest from the chair, or to the 
 one opposing the question under discussion. 
 
 5, The fact that a person has several 
 times arisen, and attempted to get the floor, 
 gives him no claim or right to be heard. 
 Nor does a call for the question deprive a 
 member of his right to speak. 
 
 Voting. 
 
 1. A question is put to vote by the chair- 
 man having first distinctly re-stated it, that 
 all may vote intelligently. First, the af- 
 firmative, then the negative is called ; each 
 so deliberately as to give all an opportunity 
 of voting. He then distinctly announces 
 whether the motion is carried, or lost 
 
 2. Voting is usually done by " aye " and 
 " no," or by raising the hand. In a doubt- 
 ful case by standing and being counted. 
 On certain questions by ballot. 
 
 3. If the vote, as announced by the 
 chairman, is doubted, it is called again, 
 usually by standing to be counted. 
 
 4. All members should vote, unless for 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHE8. 47 
 
 reasons excused ; or unless under dis- 
 cipline, in which case they should take no 
 part in the business. 
 
 5. The moderator does not usually vote, 
 except the question be taken by ballot ; but 
 when the meeting is equally divided, he is 
 expected, but is not obliged to give the 
 casting vote. 
 
 6. When the vote is to be taken by 
 ballot, the chairman appoints tellers, to dis- 
 tribute, collect, and count the ballots. 
 
 Committees. 
 
 1. Committees are nominated by the 
 chairman, if so directed by the body, or by 
 any member; and the nomination is con- 
 firmed by a vote of the body. More com- 
 monly the body directs that all committees 
 shall be appointed by the chairman, in 
 which case no vote is needed to confirm. 
 
 2. Any matter of business, or subject 
 under debate, may be referred to a com- 
 mittee, with or without instructions. The 
 committee make their report, which is the 
 result of their deliberations. The body 
 then takes action on the report, and on 
 any recommendations it may contain. 
 
 3. The report of a committee is accepted 
 
48 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 by a vote, which acknowledges their services, 
 and takes the report before the body for its 
 action. Afterward, any distinct recom- 
 mendation contained in the report is acted 
 on, and may be adopted or rejected. 
 
 4. Frequently, however, when the recom- 
 mendations of the committee are of a 
 trifling moment or likely to be generally 
 acceptable, the report is accepted and adopted 
 by the same vote. 
 
 5. A report may be recommitted to the 
 committee, with or without instructions ; or 
 that committee discharged, and the matter 
 referred to a new one, for further considera- 
 tion, so as to present it in a form more 
 likely to meet the general concurrence of 
 the body. 
 
 6. A committee may be appointed with 
 power for a specific purpose. This gives 
 them power to dispose conclusively of the 
 matter, without further reference to the body. 
 
 7. The first named in the appointment 
 of a committee is by courtesy considered 
 the chairman. But the committee has the 
 right to name its own chairman. 
 
 8. The member who moves the appoint- 
 ment of a committee is usually tban^V *-* 
 necessarily, named its chairman 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHBS. 49 
 
 9. Committees of arrangement, or foi 
 other protracted service, report progress 
 from time to time, and are continued until 
 their final report, or until their appointment 
 expires by limitation. 
 
 10. A committee is discharged by a vote, 
 when its business is done, and its report ac- 
 cepted. But usually, in routine business, a 
 committee is considered discharged by the 
 acceptance of its report. 
 
 Standing Committee. 
 
 A committee appointed to act for a given 
 period or during the recess of the body is 
 called a standing committee. It has charge 
 of a given department of business assigned 
 by the body, and acts either with power, 
 under instructions, or at discretion, as may 
 be ordered. A standing commiteee is sub- 
 stantially a minor board, and has its own 
 chairman, secretary, records, and times of 
 meeting. 
 
 Appeal. 
 
 The moderator announces all votes, and 
 decides all questions as to rules of proceed- 
 ing, and order of debate. But any member 
 who is dissatisfied with his decisions may 
 6 
 
Si STAJTDABD MANUAL 
 
 appeal from them to the body. The mod- 
 erator then puts the question, "Shall the 
 decision of the chair be sustained f" The 
 vote of the body, whether negative or af- 
 firmative, is final. The right of appeal is 
 undeniable, but should not be resorted to 
 on trivial occasions. 
 
 Previous Question, 
 Debate may be cut short by a vote to 
 take the previous question. This means that 
 the original, or main question under discus- 
 sion, be immediately voted on, regardless of 
 amendments and secondary questions, and 
 without further debate. Usually a two- 
 thirds vote is necessary to order the pre- 
 vious question. 
 
 1. If the motion for the previous ques- 
 tion be carried, then the main question must 
 be immediately taken, without further de- 
 bate. 
 
 2. If the motion for the previous ques- 
 tion be lost, the debate proceeds, as though 
 no such motion had been made. 
 
 3. If the motion for the previous ques- 
 tion be lost, it cannot be renewed with refer- 
 ence to the same question, during the 
 session. 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. 51 
 
 To Lay on the Table. 
 Immediate and decisive action on any 
 question under discussion may be deferred, 
 by a vote to lay on the table the resolution 
 pending. This disposes of the whole sub- 
 ject for the present, and ordinarily is in 
 effect a final dismissal of it. But any mem- 
 ber has the right subsequently to call it up; 
 and the body will decide by vote whether, 
 or not, it shall be taken from the table. 
 
 1. Sometimes, however, a resolution is 
 laid on the table for the present, or until a 
 specified time, to give place to other business. 
 
 2. A motion to lay on the table must 
 apply to a resolution, or other papers. An 
 abstract subject cannot be disposed of in 
 this way. 
 
 Postponement. 
 A simple postponement is for a specified 
 time or purpose, the business to be resumed 
 when the time or purpose is reached. But 
 a question indefinitely postponed is considered 
 as finally dismissed. 
 
 Not Debatable. 
 Certain motions, by established usage, are 
 not debatable, but when once before the body, 
 must be taken without discussion. 
 
52 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 These are : The previous question, for wv 
 definite postponement, to commit, to lay on the 
 table, to adjourn. 
 
 But when these motions are modified by 
 some condition of time, place, or purpose, 
 they become debatable, and subject to the 
 rules of other motions ; but debatable only in 
 respect to the time, place, or purpose which 
 brings them within the province of debate. 
 
 A body is, however, competent, by a vote, 
 to allow debate on all motions. 
 
 To Reconsider. 
 
 A motion to reconsider a motion pre- 
 viously passed must be made by one who 
 voted for the motion when it passed. 
 
 If the body votes to reconsider, then the 
 motion or resolution being reconsidered 
 stands before them as previous to its passage, 
 and may be discussed, adopted, or rejected. 
 
 A vote to reconsider should be taken at 
 the same session at which the vote reconsid- 
 ered was passed, and when there are as 
 many members present. 
 
 Be Discussed. 
 If, when a question is introduced, any 
 member objects to its discussion, as foreign, 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHE8. W 
 
 profitless, or contentious, the moderator 
 ihould at once put the question, " Shall this 
 motion be discussed f " If this question be 
 decided in the negative, the subject must be 
 dismissed. 
 
 Order of the Day. 
 The body may decide to take up some 
 definite business at a specified time. That 
 business therefore becomes the order of the 
 day, for that hour. When the time men- 
 tioned arrives, the chairman calls the busi- 
 ness, or any member may demand it, with 
 or without a vote ; and all pending ques- 
 tions are postponed in consequence. 
 
 Point of Order. 
 Any member who believes that a speaker 
 is out of order, or that discussion is pro- 
 ceeding improperly, may at any time rise to 
 a point of order. He must distinctly state 
 his question or objection, which the moder- 
 ator will decide. 
 
 Privileges. 
 Questions relating to the rights and priv- 
 ilege* of members are of primary import- 
 ance, and, until disposed of, take precedence 
 6» 
 
54 STANDARD MAJtTUAL 
 
 of all other business, and supersede all other 
 motions, except that of adjournment. 
 
 Rule Suspended, 
 A rule of order may be suspended by a 
 vote of the body, to allow the transaction 
 of business necessary, but which could not 
 otherwise be done without a violation of 
 such rule. 
 
 Filling Blanks. 
 Where different numbers are suggested 
 for filling blanks, the highest number, great- 
 est distance, and longest time are usually 
 voted on first. 
 
 Adjournment. 
 
 1. A simple motion to adjourn is always 
 in order, except while a member is speak- 
 ing, or when taking a vote. It takes pre- 
 cedence of all other motions, and is not 
 debatable. 
 
 2. In some deliberative bodies, a motion 
 to adjourn is in order while a speaker has 
 the floor, or a vote is being taken, the busi- 
 ness to stand, on reassembling, precisely as 
 when adjournment took place. 
 
 3. A body may adjourn to a specific 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 56 
 
 tune; but if no time be mentioned, the 
 axed, or usual time of meeting, is under- 
 stood. If there be no fixed, or usual time 
 of meeting, then an adjournment without 
 iate is equivalent to a dissolution. 
 
M BTATOABD MANUAL 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. 
 
 All evangelical churches profess to tak* 
 the Holy Scriptures as their only and suffi- 
 cient guide in matters of religious faith and 
 practice. Baptists, especially, claim to have 
 no authoritative creed except the New Testa- 
 ment. It is common, however, for the 
 churches to have formulated statements of 
 what are understood to be the leading Chris- 
 tian doctrines, printed and circulated among 
 their members. These are not uniform 
 among the churches, but are in substantial 
 agreement as to the doctrines taught. In- 
 deed, each church is at liberty to prepare its 
 own confession, or have none at all ; no one 
 form being held as binding and obligatory 
 on the churches to adopt. Members, on 
 being received to fellowship, are not re- 
 quired to subscribe or pledge conformity 
 to any creed -form, but are expected to yield 
 substantial agreement to that which the 
 church with which they unite has adopted. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 57 
 
 Inere are two Confessions which have 
 gained more general acceptance than any 
 others, and are now being widely adopted 
 by the churches over the country. As to 
 substance of doctrine, they do not essentially 
 differ. That known as the New Hampshire 
 Confession is commonly used by the churches 
 North, East, and West ; while that known 
 as the Philadelphia Confession, is very gen- 
 erally in use in the South and Southwest. 
 The former is much more brief, and for that 
 reason preferred by many. The other it 
 substantially the London Confession of 
 Faith, published by English Baptists in 
 1689. It is much more full in statement 
 than the other, and is higher in its tone as 
 to the doctrines of grace. 
 
 American Baptists are decidedly Calvin- 
 istic as to substance of doctrine, but moder- 
 ately so, being midway between the ex- 
 tremes of Arminianism and Antinomianism. 
 Though diversities of opinion may incline to 
 either extreme, the " general atonement M view 
 is for the most part held, while the " par- 
 ticular atonement" theory is maintained by 
 not a few. The freedom of the human will 
 is declared, while the sovereignty of divine 
 grace, and the absolute necessity of the 
 
58 STANDARD MANUAL. 
 
 Spirit's work in faith and salvation are 
 maintained. They practice " strict commu- 
 nion," as do their mission churches in 
 foreign lands. In Great Britain Baptists 
 are sharply divided between "strict and 
 free communion," and between the particu- 
 lar and the general atonement theories. 
 
 The New Hampshire Confession with a 
 few verbal changes, is here inserted. A 
 part of the proof texts usually accompany- 
 ing these articles are, for want of space, 
 omitted. 1 
 
 AKTICLES OF FAITH. 
 
 I. THE SCRIPTURES. 
 
 We believe that the Holy Bible was writ- 
 ten by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect 
 treasure of heavenly instruction j 1 that it has 
 God for its author, salvation for its end, and 
 truth without any mixture of error for its 
 matter;* that it reveals the principles by 
 which God will judge us ;• and therefore is, 
 and shall remain to the end of the world, 
 the true centre of Christian union, and the 
 
 i For a fuller account of these Confeuions, eee the 
 Church Direotory." 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. 59 
 
 supreme standard by which all human con- 
 duct, creeds, and opinions should be tried. 
 
 1 2 Tim. 8 : 16, 17. All Scripture Is given by Inspiration of 
 God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, 
 for instruction in righteousness ; that the man of God mar be 
 perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Also, 2 Pet. 
 1 : 21 ; 2 Sam. 23 : 2 ; Acts 1 : 16. 
 
 * ProT. 30 : 5, 6. Every word of God is pure. Add thou not 
 unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. 
 Also, John 17 : 17; Rev. 22 : 18, 19; Bom. 3 : 4. 
 
 * Rom. 2 : 12. As many as hare sinned in the law, shall be 
 judged by the law. John 12 : 47, 48. If any man hear my 
 words— the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him 
 in the last day. Also, 1 Cor. 4 : 3, 4 ; Luke 10 : 10-16 ; 12 : 47,4* 
 
 II. THE TRUE GOD. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that there 
 is one, and only one, living and true God, 
 an infinite, intelligent Spirit, whose name is 
 Jehovah, the Maker and Supreme Ruler 
 of Heaven and Earth: 1 inexpressibly glo- 
 rious in holiness, 2 and worthy of all possible 
 honor, confidence, and love; 8 that in the 
 unity of the Godhead there are three per- 
 sons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
 Ghost; 4 equal in every divine perfection, 
 and executing distinct but harmonious offices 
 in the great work of redemption. 
 
 * John 4 : 24. God is a Spirit. Ps. 147 : 5. His understanding 
 b infinite. Ps. 88 : 18. Thou whose name alone is JEHOVAH, 
 art the Most High over all the earth. Heb. 8:4; Bom. 1 : 20 ; 
 Jer. 10 : 10. 
 
 * Exod. 16 : 11. Who is like unto thee— glorious in holiness f 
 Urn. f : 8 ; 1 Peter 1 : 16, 16 ; Bev. 4 : 6-8. 
 
00 STAHDABD MANUAL 
 
 •Murk 12 : 80. Thou •halt lore the Lord thy God with all 
 thy heart, and with ell thy soul, end with ell thy mind, end 
 with ell thy strength. Ber. 4:11. Thou art worthy, O Lord 
 io receive glory, end honour, end power. Matt. 10 : 87 ; Jar, 2 : 
 
 « Matt 28 : It . Go ye therefore end teach all nations, baptla- 
 kng them in the name of the Father, end of the Son, end of the 
 Holy Ghost. John 15 : 26 ; 1 Cor. 12 : 4-6. 
 
 JUL THE TALL OF MAN. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that man 
 was created in holiness, under the law of his 
 Maker; 1 but by voluntary transgresson fell 
 from that holy and happy state;* in conse- 
 quence of which all mankind are now sin- 
 ners, 1 not by constraint but choice ; being 
 by nature utterly void of that holiness re- 
 quired by the law of God, positively inclined 
 to evil ; and therefore under just condemna- 
 tion 4 without defense or excuse.* 
 
 1 Gen. 1 : 27. God created man in hie own image. Gen. 1 : 8L 
 And God taw everything that he had made, and behold, it wae 
 rery good. EocL 7 : 29 ; Acta 17 : 26 ; Gen. 2 : 16. 
 
 • Gen. 8 : 6-24. And when the woman aaw that the tree wae 
 good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree 
 to be desired to make one wise ; she took of the fruit thereof 
 and did eat ; and gare also unto her husband with her, and he 
 did eat. Bom. 5 : 12. 
 
 * Bom. 5 : 19. By one man's disobedience many were made 
 sinners. John 8 : 6; Ps. 51 : 5; Bom. 5 : 15-19; 8 : 7. 
 
 * Eph. 2 : 8. Among whom also we all had our oonYersation in 
 times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the 
 aesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of 
 wrath even as others. 
 
 • Back. 18 : 19, 20. The soul that sinneth it shall die. Bom. 
 1 : ». So that they are without excuse. Bom. 8 : 19. That 
 every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become 
 guilty before God. Gal. 8 : 22. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. fl 
 
 IV. THE WAY OF SALVATION, 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that the 
 salvation of sinners is wholly of grace j J 
 through the mediatorial offices of the Sod 
 of God ; * who, according to the will of the 
 Father, became man, yet without sin ; • 
 honored the divine law by his personal 
 obedience, and by his death made a full 
 atonement for our sins-; 4 that having risen 
 from the dead, he is now enthroned in 
 heaven ; and uniting in his wonderful per- 
 son the tenderest sympathies with divine 
 perfections, he is every way qualified to be 
 a suitable, a compassionate and an all-suffi- 
 cient Saviour. • 
 
 i Eph. 3:8. By grace ye are sayed. Matt. 18 : 11 ; 1 John 4: 
 10; 1 Cor. 8: 8-7; Acts 15: 1L 
 
 I John 8 : 16. For God so lored the world that he gare hie 
 onlr begotten Son, that whosoever heliereth in him should not 
 perish, oat hare everlasting Ufa. 
 
 • PhiL 2: 6, 7. Who being in the form of God. thought It 
 not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no 
 reputation, and took upon him the form of a ■errant, and wai 
 made In the likeness of men. 
 
 • lea. 88: 4, 8. He was wounded for ear transgressions, he 
 waa bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peso* 
 was upon him ; and with his stripes we are healed. 
 
 • Heb. 7 : 26. Wherefore he is able also to sure them to the 
 uttermost that oome unto God by him, seeing he •rex lrreth te 
 make intercession for them. CoL 2 : 9. For in him dwellath 
 all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 
 
 6 
 
€3 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 V. JUSTIFICATION. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that the 
 great gospel blessing which Christ * secures 
 to such as believe in him is justification ; ' 
 that justification includes the pardon of 
 sin/ and the gift of eternal life on principles 
 of righteousness ; that it is bestowed, not in 
 consideration of any works of righteousness 
 which we have done, but solely through 
 faith in Christ ; by means of which faith 
 his perfect righteousness is freely imputed 
 to us by God ; * that it brings us into a 
 state of most blessed peace and favor with 
 God, and secures every other blessing need- 
 ful for time and eternity. 8 
 
 i John 1:18. Of his fulness hare all we receded. Bph. 
 1:8. 
 
 « Acts 13 : 89. By Mm all that bclierc are justified from all 
 things. Is*, 8:11, 12; Rom. 5: 1. 
 
 > Rom. 5 : 9. Being Justified by his blood, we shall be eared 
 from wrath through him. Zeoh. 18 : 1 ; Matt. 9:8; Act* 10: 48 
 
 « Bom. 8: 19. By the obedience of one shall many be made 
 righteous. Bom. 8: 24-28; 4: 28-36; Uohn 2: 12. 
 
 • Bom. 5 : 1, 2. Being justified by faith, we hare peace with 
 God, through our Lord Jesus Christ : by whom also we hare 
 access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice 
 in hope of the glory of God. 
 
 VI. THE FKEENESS OF SALVATION. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that the 
 blessings of salvation are made free to all 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHE8. 63 
 
 by the gospel : l that it is the immediate 
 duty of all to accept them by a cordial, 
 penitent, and obedient faith ;* and that 
 nothing prevents the salvation of the great- 
 est sinner on earth but his own determined 
 depravity and voluntary rejection of the 
 gospel; 8 which rejection involves him in 
 an aggravated condemnation. 4 
 
 1 Is*. 66 : 1. Ho. every one that thirsteth, come ye to the 
 waters. Bev. 22 : 17. Whosoever will let him take the water 
 of life freely. 
 
 * Acts 17 : 30. And the times of this ignorance God winked 
 at, hut now commandeth all men everywhere to repent. Bom, 
 16: 26 ; Mark 1 : 15 ; Rom. 1 : 15-17. 
 
 8 John 5 : 40. Ye will not oome to me, that ye might hare 
 life. Matt. 23: 37; Bom. 9:32. 
 
 « John 3: 19. And this Is the condemnation, that light is 
 oome into the world, and men loved darkness rather than 
 light because their deeds were evil. Matt 11 : 20 ; Luke 19 : 27 ; 
 IThess. 1:8. 
 
 VH. REGENERATION. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that in 
 order to be saved, men must be regenerated, 
 or born again; 1 that regeneration consists 
 in giving a holy disposition to the mind ; * 
 that it is effected in a manner above our 
 comprehension by the Holy Spirit, in con- 
 nection with divine truth, s so as to secure 
 our voluntary obedience to the gospel ; 4 
 and that its proper evidence appears in the 
 
64 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 holy fruits of repentance, faith, and newness 
 of life. 1 
 
 1 John 8 : 3. Verily, rerily, I say unto thee, except a ma& 
 he born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. JohnS: 
 6, T; 1 Cor. 1: 14; Ber. 8:^-9; ReT. 21: 27. 
 
 * 2 Cor. 5: 17. If any man be in Christ, he la a new creature. 
 Back. 36 : 28 ; Dcut, 30: 6 ; Bom. 2 : 28, 29. 
 
 • John 8 : 8. The wind blowetb where it listeth, and thoo 
 bearcat the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, 
 and whither it goeth ; so is every one that is born of the 
 Spirit John 1 : 13 ; James 1 : 10-18 ; 1 Cor. 1 : 80 ; Phil. 2 : 13. 
 
 « 1 Peter 1 : 22 : 26. Ye hare purified your souls in obeying 
 the truth through the Spirit. 1 John 5:1; Eph. 4 : 20-24 ; Cot 
 3 : 9-11. 
 
 » Eph. 5 : 9. The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and 
 righteousness, and truth. Bom. 8:8, Gal. 5: 18-23; Enh. » 
 14-21 ; Matt. 3 : 8-10 ; 7 : 20 ; 1 John 5 : 4, 18. 
 
 VIII. REPENTANCE AND FAITH. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that re- 
 pentance and faith are sacred duties, and 
 also inseparable graces, wrought in the soul 
 by the regenerating Spirit of God ; l where- 
 by being deeply convinced of our guilt, 
 danger, and helplessness, and of the way of 
 salvation by Christ, 1 we turn to God with 
 unfeigned contrition, confession, and suppli- 
 cation for mercy ; at the same time heartily 
 receiving the Lord Jesus as our prophet, 
 priest, and king, and relying on him alone 
 as the only and all-sufficient Saviour. * 
 
 » Mark 1 : 15. Repent ye, and beliere the gospeL Acts 11 : 
 18. Then hath Goo also to the Gentiles granted repentanet 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES 65 
 
 ■ato life. fiph. 2:8. By grace ye are saved through faith; 
 and that not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God. 1 John 8 : L 
 
 * John 16 : S. He will reprove the world of sin, and of right* 
 eousness, and of judgment. Acta 11 : 38. Then Peter eaid unto 
 them, Repent, and be baptized every one of yon in the 
 of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Acts 16 : 80, 81. 
 
 • Romans 10:9-11. If thou shalt confess with thy m 
 the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath 
 ra'-wjd him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Acts 3 : 22, 28 ; 
 Heb. 4 : 14. 
 
 ix. god's purpose op grace. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that elec- 
 tion is the eternal purpose of God, accord- 
 ing to which he graciously regenerates, sanc- 
 tifies, and saves sinners ; * that being per- 
 fectly consistent with the free agency of 
 man, it comprehends all the means in con- 
 nection with the end ; * that it is a most 
 glorious display of God's sovereign good- 
 ness ; s that it utterly excludes boasting, and 
 promotes humility ; 4 that it encourages the 
 use of means ; that it may be ascertained 
 by its effects in all who truly accept of 
 Christ * ; that it is the foundation of Chris- 
 tian assurance ; and that to ascertain it with 
 regard to ourselves demands and deserves 
 the utmost diligence. 6 
 
 1 2 Tim 1:8.1. But he thou partaker of the affliction* of the 
 gospel, according to the power of God ; who hath saved as and 
 sailed us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but 
 to his own purpose and grace which was gWen as i» 
 
 Oerist Jesus before the world beean. 
 8* 
 
STANDAKD MANUAL 
 
 >S Thee*. 2 : 13, 14. Bat we are bound to fire thanks aiwayt 
 to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God 
 hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through 
 aanetification of the Spirit and belief of the truth ; w hereunto 
 he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ. 
 
 8 1 Cor. 4 : 7. For who maketh thee to differ from another f 
 and what hast thou that thou did«t not receive? Now if thou 
 didst receive it, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not re- 
 ceived it ? 1 Cor. 1 : 26-31 ; Rom. 8 : 27. 
 
 « 2 Tim. 2 : 10. Therefore I endure all things for the electa' 
 sake, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ 
 Jesus with eternal glory. 1 Cor. 9 : 22; Rom. 8 : 28-30. 
 
 * 1 These. 4 : 10. Knowing, brethren beloved, your election 
 of God. 
 
 • 2 Peter 1 : 10, 11. Wherefore the rather, brethren, giTe dill- 
 
 Ssnce to make your calling and election sure. PhiL8:12; 
 eh 6 : 11. 
 
 snce to make your calling and election sure. 
 X. SANGTIFICATION. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that sanc- 
 tification is the process by which, according 
 to the will of God, we are made partakers 
 of his holiness ; * that it is a progressive 
 work ; * that it is begun in regeneration ; 
 that it is carried on in the hearts of believ- 
 ers by the presence aud power of the Holy 
 Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the con- 
 tinual use of the appointed means — espe- 
 cially |the word of God — self-examination, 
 self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer ; 8 and 
 in the practice of all godly exercises and 
 duties. 4 
 
 i 1 Thees. 4 : 8. For this is the will of God, even yoor sanotift- 
 Ation. 1 Thees. 5 : 23. And the very God of peace sanctify 
 ron wholly. 2 Cor. 7 : 1; 18 : 9; Eph. 1 : 4. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 67 
 
 •FroY. 4 : 18. The path of the just is as the shining light, 
 which shine th more and more, unto the perfect day. 
 
 •Phil. 1 : 12, 13. Work out your own salvation with fear and 
 trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and 
 to do, of his good pleasure. Eph. 4 : 11, 12 ; 1 Peter 2 : 2 ; 2 
 Peter 8 : 18; 2 Cor. 13 : 5; Luke 11 : 35; 9 : 23; Matk 26 : ilj 
 Eph. 6 : 18 ; 4 : 30. 
 
 * 1 Tim 4 : 7. Exercise thyself unto godliness. 
 
 XI. PERSEVEKANCE OF SAINTS. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that such 
 as are truly regenerate, being born of the 
 Spirit, will not utterly fall away and perish, 
 but will endure unto the end ; * that their 
 persevering attachment to Christ is the 
 grand mark which distinguishes them from 
 superficial professors ; 8 that a special Provi- 
 dence watches over their welfare ; ' and that 
 they are kept by the power of God through 
 faith unto salvation. 4 
 
 J John 8:81. Then said Jesus, If ye contiue in my word, 
 then are ye my disciples indeed. 1 John 2 : 27, 28. 
 
 > John 2 : 19. They went out from us, but they were not ©J 
 us ; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have con- 
 tinued with us ; but they went out that it might be made mani- 
 fest that they were not all of us. 
 
 8 Rom. 8:28. And we know all things work together foi 
 good unto them that love God, to them who are the called ac- 
 cording to his purpose. Matt. 6 : 80-83 ; Jer. 32 . 40. 
 
 * Phil. 1:6. He who hath begun a good work in you wiB 
 perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. PhiL 2 : 12, 18. 
 
 in. THE LAW AND GOSPEL. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that the 
 law of God is the eternal and unchangeable 
 
6fe STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 rule of his moral government ; l that it if 
 holy, just, and good ; ' and that the inability 
 which the Scriptures ascribe to fallen men 
 to fulfill its precepts arises entirely from 
 their sinful nature ; ' to deliver them from 
 which, and to restore them through a Medi- 
 ator to unfeigned obedience to the holy law, 
 is one great end of the gospel, and of th« 
 means of grace connected with the establish- 
 ment of the visible church. 4 
 
 I Bom. 8 : 81. Do we make roid the law through frith r God 
 forbid. Yea, we establish the law Matt. 5 : 17; Luke 18 : 17 j 
 Rom. 8:20; 4:15. 
 
 * Rom. 7 : 12. The law is holy, and the commandment holy, 
 and jnst, and good. Rom. 7 : 7, 14, 22 ; OaL 8 : 21 ; Ps. 119. 
 
 •Rom. 8 : 7, 8. The carnal mind is enmity against God ; tot 
 It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So 
 then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 
 
 « Rom. 8 : 2, 4. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ 
 Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For 
 what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the 
 flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, 
 and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh : that the righteousness 
 of the law might be fulfilled in ns, who walk not alter the flesh 
 bat after the Spirit. 
 
 XIII. A GOSPEL CHURCH. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that » 
 visible Church of Christ is a company of 
 baptized believers, 1 associated by covenant 
 in the faith and fellowship of the gospel • l 
 observing the ordinances of Christ;* gov- 
 erned by his laws ; 4 and exercising the 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBOHBS. 68 
 
 gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them 
 by his word ; * that its only scriptural offi- 
 cers are bishops or pastors, and deacons,* 
 whose qualifications, claims, and duties are 
 defined in the Epistles to Timothy and 
 Titus. 
 
 » Acts 2 : 41. 42. Then they that gladly received Ma word 
 were baptized ; and the same day there were added to these 
 about three thousand souls. 
 
 *2 Cor. 8 : 5. They first gave their own solve* to the Lord, 
 and unto us by the will of God. 
 
 » 1 Cor. 11 : 2. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remain- 
 ber me in all things, a ad keep the ordinances as I delivered 
 them to you. 
 
 « Matt. 28 : 20. Teaching them to observe all things what- 
 soever I have commanded you. John 14 : 15. 
 
 * 1 Cor. 14 : 12. Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the 
 church. 
 
 •Phil. 1 : 1. With the bishops and deacons. Acta 14 : 28; 
 15:22. lTim.3. Titus 1. 
 
 XIV. CHRISTIAN BAPTISM. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that 
 Christian baptism is the immersion in water 
 of a believer in Christ, i into the name of 
 the Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost;* 
 to show forth in a solemn and beautiful em- 
 blem his faith in the crucified, buried, and 
 risen Saviour, with its effect, in his death to 
 sin and resurrection to a new life ; 8 that it 
 is prerequisite to the privileges of a church 
 relation, and to the Lord's Supper. 4 
 
Hi) STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 i Acts 8:36-39. And the eunuch said, See, here is 
 what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thon 
 believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. . . . And they went 
 down into the water, both Philip ana the eunuch, and he bap- 
 tised him. Matt. 3 : 5, 6 ; John 3 : 22, 23 ; 4 : 1, 2 ; Matt. 28 : 19. 
 
 •Matt. 18 : 19. Baptizing them in the name of the Father 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Acts 10 : 47, 48: Gal. 
 8:27,28. 
 
 • Rom. 6 : 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism 
 Into death ; that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the 
 ' the Father, even so we also, should walk in newness 
 Col. 2 : 12. 
 
 rlory of 
 of life. 
 
 * Acts 2 : 41, 42. Then they that gladly received his word 
 were baptized, and there were added to them, the same day, 
 about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly 
 In the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of 
 bread, and in prayers. Matt. 28 : 19, 20. 
 
 XV. THE LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that the 
 Lord's Supper is a provision of bread and 
 wine, representing Christ's body and blood, 
 partaken of by the members of the church 
 assembled for that purpose, 1 in commemora- 
 tion of the death of their Lord, 8 showing 
 their faith and participation in the merits 
 of his sacrifice, their dependence on him 
 for spiritual life and nourishment,* and their 
 hope of life eternal through his resurrection 
 from the dead ; its observance to be pre- 
 ceded by faithful self-examination. 4 
 
 i Lake 22 : 19, 20. And he took bread, and gave thanks and 
 brake, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body, which Is 
 given for you ; this do in remembrance of me. Likewise the 
 tup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in ay 
 blood, which is shed for you. Mark 14 : 20-26 ; Matt. 26 : 27-30; 
 1 Cor. 11 : 27-80 ; 1 Cor. 10 : 16. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES, 71 
 
 ■ i Cor. 11 : 36. For as oft as ye eat this bread, and drink 
 this ©up, ye do shew the Lord's death until he come. Matt. 
 K:90. 
 
 » John 5 : 85, 54, 56. Jesus said unto them, I am the bread 
 of life. Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath 
 eternal life. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood 
 dwelleta in me, and I in him, 
 
 * 1 Cor. 11 : 28. But let a man examine himself, and so let 
 trim eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. Acta 2 : 42, 46 ; 
 20 : 7, 11. 
 
 XVI. THE LORD'S DAY. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach, that. the 
 first day of the week is the Lord's Day, 1 
 and is to be kept sacred to religious pur- 
 poses s by abstaining from all secular labor, 
 except works of mercy and necessity ; * by 
 the devout observance of all the means of 
 grace, both private and public; 4 and by 
 preparation for that rest that remaineth for 
 the people of God. 
 
 * Acts 20 : 7. On the first day of the week, when the disciples 
 came together to break bread, Paul preached to them. 
 
 > Exod. 20 : 8. Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep It holy. 
 Rev. 1 : 10. I waa in the Spirit on the Lord's Day. Ps. 118 : 24. 
 
 » lea. 58 : 13, 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sab- 
 bath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day ; and call the 
 Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord honourable ; and shalt 
 honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own 
 
 Bleasure, nor speaking thine own words ; then shall thou de- 
 ght thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon 
 the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of 
 Jacob. Isa.56:2-8. 
 
 * Heb. 10 : 24, 25. Not forsaking the assembling of yourselYea 
 together, as the manner of some is. Acta 13 : 44 The next 
 Babbath Day came almost the whole city together to hear th* 
 word of God. 
 
78 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 XVII. CIVIL GOVERNMENT. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that civi 
 government is of divine appointment, for 
 the interest and good order of human so- 
 ciety ; * and that magistrates are to be prayed 
 for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed ; * 
 except only in things opposed to the will of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who is the only 
 Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of 
 the kings of the earth. 4 
 
 1 Bom. 13 : 1-7. The powers that be are ordained of God 
 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil 
 
 • Matt. 22 : 21. Render therefore unto Csesar the things that 
 are Csesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. Titus 
 1:1; 1 Peter 2: 13; lTim.2:l-8. 
 
 » Acta 5 : 29. We onght to obey God rather than man. Matt. 
 10 : 28. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to 
 kill the soul. Dan. 8 : 15-18 ; 6 : 7, 10; Acts 4 : 18-20. 
 
 *Matt. 23 : 10. Ye have one Master, even Christ. Rev. 10: 
 14. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name writ* 
 ten, Krse or kings and Loan op lords. Ps, 72 : 11 ; Pi. 2 ; 
 Rom. 14 : 0-13. 
 
 XVIII. RIGHTEOUS AND WICKED. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that there 
 is a radical and essential difference between 
 the righteous and the wicked ; 1 that such only 
 as are regenerate, being justified through 
 faith in Jesus Christ and sanctified by the 
 Spirit of God, are truly righteous in his 
 esteem ; * while all such as continue in im- 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 73 
 
 penitence and unbelief are, in his sight, 
 wicked and under the curse ; * and this dis- 
 tinction holds among men, both in and after 
 death. 4 
 
 1 Mai. 8 : 18. Ye shall discern between the righteous and tut 
 wicked ; between him that servetb God and him that serretlt 
 him not Prov. 12:26; Isa.5:20; Gen. 18 : 23 ; Jer. 16 : 19 : 
 Acts 10: 84, 85; Bom. 6 ; 16. 
 
 a Bom. 1 : 17. The just shall live by faith. 1 John 2 : 29. It 
 re know that he is righteous, ye know that every oue that 
 doeth righteousness is born of him. 1 John 3:7; Bom. 6 : 18, 
 12; 1 Cor. 11 : 82; Prov. 11 : 31; 1 Peter 4 : 17, 18. 
 
 * 1 John 5 : 19. And we know that we are of God, and the 
 whole world lieth in wickedness. Gal. 3 : 10. As many as are 
 of the works of the law, are under the curse. John 3 : 36 ; Iaa. 
 67:21; Ps. 10:4; Isa. 56 : 6, 7. 
 
 « Prov. 14:32. The wicked is driven away in his wicked- 
 ness, but the righteous hath hope in his death. Luke 16 : 25. 
 Thou in thy lifetime receivedBt thy good things, and likewise 
 Lazarus evil things ; but now he is comforted, and thou art 
 tormented. John 8 : 21-24 ; Prov. 10 : 24 ; Luke 12 : 4, 6; 11 . 
 13-26 ; John 12 : 25, 26: Eccl. 3 : 17. 
 
 XIX. THE WORLD TO OOME. 
 
 We believe the Scriptures teach that the 
 ~ of the world is approaching ; x that at 
 the last day Christ will descend from 
 heaven, 8 and raise the dead from the grave 
 for final retribution j 3 that a solemn separ- 
 ation will then take place ; * that the wicked 
 will be adjudged to endless sorrow, and the 
 righteous to endless joyj* and that this 
 judgment will fix forever the £nal state of 
 
74 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 men in heaven or hell on principles of right- 
 
 » 1 Peter 4 : 7. But the end of all things is at hand ; t» ye 
 therefore sober, and watoh unto prayer. 1 Cor. 7 : 29-81 : Hab. 
 1: 10-12; Matt. 24:36. 
 
 1 AoU 1 : 11. This same Jesus which is taken up from yon 
 into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him 
 So into heaven. 
 
 •Acts 24: 15. There shall be a resurrection of the dead, 
 both of the just and unjust. 1 Cor. IS : 12-58; Luke 14 : 14; 
 Dan. 12 : 2. 
 
 *Matt. 18:49. The angels shall come forth, and sevr<r the 
 wicked from among the just. Matt. 13 : 37-43; 24:80,31; 
 25:31-83. 
 
 'Matt. 25 : 35-41. And these shall go away into everlasting 
 punishment, but the righteous into life eternal. Rev. 22 : 11. 
 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still ; and he which if 
 filthy, let him be filthy still ; and he that is righteous, let him 
 b« ri'gnteous still ; and he that is holy, let him De holy still. 1 
 Cor. 6 : 9, 10 ; Mark 9 : 43-48. 
 
 •2 Thess. 1 : 6-12. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God 
 to recompense tribulations to them who trouble you, and to 
 you who are troubled, rest with us . . . when he shall oome to 
 be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that 
 believe. Heb. 6 : 1. 2 ; 1 Cor. 4:5; Acts 17 : 31 ; Rom. 2 : 2-16, 
 Rev. 20 : 11. 12 ; 1 John 2 : 28 ; 4 : 17. 2 Peter 3 : 11, 12. Seeing 
 then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner ox 
 persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 
 looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God? 
 
 COVENANT. 
 
 Having been, as we trust, brought by 
 divine grace to embrace the Lord Jesus 
 Christ, and to give ourselves wholly to him, 
 we do now solemnly and joyfully covenant 
 with each other to walk together is 
 
 HIM, WITH BROTHERLY LOVE, to his glory, 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 76 
 
 as our common Lord. We do, therefore, in 
 his strength, engage — 
 
 That we will exercise a Christian care 
 and watchfulness over each other, and faith- 
 fully warn, exhort, and admonish each other 
 as occasion may require: 
 
 That we will not forsake the assembling 
 of ourselves together, but will uphold the 
 public worship of God and the ordinances 
 of his house : 
 
 That we will not omit closet and family 
 religion at home, nor neglect the great duty 
 of religiously training our children, and 
 those under our care, for the service of 
 Christ and the enjoyment of heaven : 
 
 That, as we are the .light of the world, 
 and the salt of the earth, we will seek divine 
 aid, to enable us to deny ungodliness and 
 every worldly lust, and to walk circum- 
 spectly in the world, that we may win the 
 souls of men : 
 
 That we will cheerfully contribute of our 
 property, according as God has prospered 
 us, for the maintenance of a faithful and 
 evangelical ministry among us, for the sup- 
 port of the poor, and to spread the gospel 
 over the earth : 
 
 That we will in all conditions, even till 
 
76 BTANDABD MANITAL 
 
 death, gtrive to live to the glory of him 
 who hath called us out of darkness into his 
 marvelous light. 
 
 " And may the God of peace, who brought 
 again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that 
 great Shepherd of the sheep, through the 
 blood of the everlasting covenant, make us 
 perfect in every good work to do his will, 
 working in us that which is well pleasing 
 in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom 
 be glory, for ever and ever. Amen." 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. 77 
 
 CHAFTER IX. 
 
 OPTIONAL 8TANDING RESOLUTIONS. 
 
 A Christian church should be the un- 
 compromising friend of all virtue, and the 
 determined enemy of all vice. Public 
 morality and social purity should find in it 
 an open and earnest advocate and defender. 
 Churches should bear in mind that Chris- 
 tian morality, which constitutes their rule 
 of life, claims a much higher standard than 
 the morality of worldly society about them. 
 Therefore their deportment should be such 
 as to have a good report of them that are 
 without, and command the respect of the 
 world. Iu all this the pastor should be the 
 wise but decided and courageous teacher, 
 leader and exemplar for his people. 
 
 There are certain questions of moral 
 reform and social recreation with reference 
 to which the churches are often much per- 
 plexed, but with reference to which they 
 should have settled convictions, and hold s 
 
78 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 well-defined attitude. It is not wise to put 
 definitions and restrictions touching intem- 
 perance, card playing, theatre going, danc- 
 ing, and the like, into covenants or articles 
 of faith. A bettei way is for the church, 
 after due consideration, to pass standing 
 resolutions on the subject, to be placed on 
 its records as a guide to future action. 
 Something like the following, to be varied 
 at the option of the body, would serve as a 
 declaration of principles: 
 
 1. Resolved, That this church expects 
 every member to contribute statedly for its 
 pecuniary support, according to his ability, 
 as God has prospered him, and that a re- 
 fusal to do this will be considered a breach 
 of covenant. 
 
 2. Resolved, That this church will entertain 
 and contribute statedly to Home and For- 
 eign Missions, and to other leading objects 
 of Christian benevolence, approved of and 
 supported by our denomination. 
 
 3. Resolved, That the religious education 
 of the young and Bible study as repre- 
 sented in Sunday-school work commend 
 themselves to our confidence, and we will, 
 to the extent of our ability, give them our 
 sympathy and our aid, by both our persona] 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 79 
 
 co-operation and contributions, and ex- 
 pressed appreciation of all their legitimate 
 aims and work. 
 
 4. Resolved, That in our opinion, the use 
 of intoxicating drinks as a beverage, and 
 also the manufacture and sale of the same 
 for such a purpose, are contrary to Christian 
 morals, injurious to personal piety, and a 
 hindrance to gospel truth, and that persons 
 so using, making or selling, are thereby dis- 
 qualified for membership in this church. 
 
 5. Resolved, That we emphatically dis- 
 countenance and condemn the practice of 
 church members frequenting theatres and 
 other similar places of public amusements, 
 as inconsistent with a Christian profession, 
 detrimental to personal piety, and pernicious 
 in the influence of its example on others. 
 
 6. Resolved, That the members of this 
 church are earnestly requested not to pro- 
 vide for, take part in, or by any means en- 
 courage dancing or card playing ; but in all 
 consistent ways to discountenance the same 
 as a hindrance to personal godliness in their 
 associations and tendencies, and an offense 
 to brethren whom we should not willingly 
 grieve. 
 
86 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 BAPTISM CONSIDEBED. 
 
 What is Christian baptism? This is 
 the gravest question which enters into the 
 baptismal controversy. Other questions of 
 moment there are in connection with it, 
 touching the design, the efficacy, and the 
 subjects. But it is of primary importance 
 to know what constitutes baptism. 
 
 Baptists answer the question by saying 
 that baptism is the immersion, dipping, or 
 burying in water, of a professed believer in 
 Christ, in the name of the Father, the Son, 
 and the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Pedobaptists, both Roman Catholic and 
 Protestant, answer the question by saying 
 that baptism is either the sprinkling or 
 pouring of water upon the candidate, touch- 
 ing the forehead with wet fingers, or dipping 
 the person wholly into water j in either case 
 in the name of the Father, the Son, and 
 the Spirit ; and that it may be administered 
 to a candidate on his profession of faith, or 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 81 
 
 fco an unconscious infant on the professed 
 faith of parents or sponsors. This would 
 make four kinds of baptism, and two 
 classes of subjects for its reception ; and 
 would consist rather in the application of 
 water to the person, than putting the person 
 into water. 
 
 Baptists hold to a unity of the ordinance, 
 as well as to a oneness of the faith ; insist- 
 ing that as there is but one Lord, and one 
 faith, so there is but one baptism. And the 
 dipping in water of a professed disciple of 
 Christ is that one baptism. Neither sprink- 
 ling a person with water, nor pouring water 
 upon him can by any possibility be Chris- 
 tian baptism. That this position is the 
 true one, we appeal to the New Testament, 
 and the best extant historical and philo- 
 logical authorities to establish. 
 
 Let it be distinctly understood, however, 
 that all the eminent names and learned 
 authorities hereafter cited are Pedobaptists. 
 Baptist authorities are wholly omitted, not 
 because they are less accurate or less valu- 
 able, but because we prefer to allow our 
 opponents in this controversy to bear witness 
 for us, rather than to testify in our own 
 behalf! 
 
82 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 MEANING OF THE WORD. 
 
 The word baptize is, properly speaking, 
 a Greek word (baptizo), adapted to the En- 
 glish language by a change in its termina- 
 tion. This is the word always used by 
 Christ and his apostles to express and define 
 the ordinance. What does that word mean, 
 as originally used ? For it is certain that 
 our Lord, in commanding a rite to be ob- 
 served by believers of all classes, in all 
 lands, and through all ages, would use a 
 word of positive and definite import, and 
 one whose meaning would admit of no 
 reasonable doubt. What do Greek scholars 
 say? How do the Greek lexicons define 
 the word ? 
 
 Scapula says : " To dip, to immerse, as 
 V3 do anything for the purpose of dyeing it." 
 
 Schleusner says : "Properly it signifies 
 to dip, to immerse, to immerse in water." 
 
 Parkhurst says : " To dip, immerse, 01 
 plunge in water." 
 
 Stevens says : " To merge, or immerse, 
 to submerge, or bury in water." 
 
 Donnegan says : " To immerse repeat- 
 edly into liquid, to submerge, to soak thor- 
 oughly." 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 83 
 
 Robinson says : " To immerse, to sink." 
 
 Liddell and Scott say : " To dip re- 
 peatedly." 
 
 Grimm's Lexicon of the New Testament, 
 which in Europe and America stands con- 
 fessedly at the head of Greek lexicography, 
 as translated and edited by Professor Thayer, 
 of Harvard University, thus defines baptizo : 
 " (1) To dip repeatedly, to immerse, sub- 
 merge. (2) To cleanse by dipping or sub- 
 merging. (3) To overwhelm. In the New 
 Testament it is used particularly of the rite 
 of sacred ablution ; first instituted by John 
 the Baptist, afterward by Christ's command 
 received by Christians and adjusted to the 
 contents and nature of their religion, viz., 
 an immersion in water, performed as a sign 
 of the removal of sin, and administered to 
 those who, impelled by a desire for salva- 
 tion, sought admission to the benefits of the 
 Messiah's kingdom. With eis to mark the 
 element into which the immersion is made ; 
 en with the dative of the thing in which 
 one is immersed." 
 
 The noun baptisma, the only other word 
 used in the New Testament to denote the 
 rite, Grimm-Thayer thus define: "A 
 word peculiar to the New Testament and 
 
84 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 ecclesiastical writers ; used (1) of John's 
 baptism ; (2) of Christian baptism. This, 
 according to the view of the Apostles, is a 
 rite of sacred immersion commanded by 
 Christ." 
 
 Add to those such authorities as Alsti- 
 Jius, Passow, Schottgen, Stockius, Stourdza, 
 Sophocles, Ajithon, Rosen muller, Wetstein, 
 Leigh, Turretin, Beza, Calvin, Witsius, 
 Luther, Vossius, Campbell, and many 
 others who bear the same witness to the 
 proper meaning of the word baptize. If 
 at any time the word may have a secondary 
 meaning, it is strictly in accord with its 
 primary meaning — to dip, or immerse. For 
 both classic and sacred Greek the same 
 meaning holds. 
 
 Prof. Moses Stuart, one of the ablest 
 scholars America has produced, declared: 
 " Baptizo means to dip, plunge, or immerse 
 into any liquid. All lexicographers and 
 critics of any note are agreed in this." 
 Essay on Baptism, p. 51 ; Biblical Reposi- 
 tory, 1883, p. 298. 
 
 "All lexicographers and critics, of any 
 note, are agreed in this," says one of the 
 foremost scholars of the age, and he a Pedo- 
 baptist. What a concession ! 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 86 
 
 The Greek language is rich in terms for 
 the expression of all positive ideas, and all 
 varying shades of thought. Why, then, did 
 our Lord in commanding, and his Apostle* 
 in transmitting his command to posterity 
 use always and only that one word bapivzo, 
 to describe the action, and that one word 
 bapUzma y to describe the ordinance to which 
 he intended all his followers to submit? 
 The word louo means to wash the body, and 
 uipto to wash parts of the body ; but these 
 words are not used, because washing is not 
 what Christ meant. Rantizo means to 
 sprinkle, and if sprinkling were baptism this 
 would have been the word above all others; 
 but it was never so used. Keo means to 
 pour ; but pouring is not baptism, and so 
 this word was never used to describe the 
 ordinance. Katharizo means to purify, but 
 is not used for the ordinance. The facts 
 are clear and the reasoning conclusive. 
 
 STOUEDZA,the Russian scholar and diplo- 
 mat, says : " The church of the West has 
 then departed from the example of Jesus 
 Christ ; she has obliterated the whole sub- 
 limity of the exterior sign. Baptism and 
 immersion are identical. Baptism by asper- 
 non is as if one should say immersion by 
 8 
 
86 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 aspersion, or any other absurdity of the 
 same nature." Considerations, Orthodox 
 Ch., p. 87. 
 
 THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. 
 
 The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan is 
 thus described : " And Jesus, when he was 
 baptized, went up straightway out of the 
 water." (Matt. 3 : 16.) And again, it is 
 recorded that Jesus " was baptized of John 
 in Jordan ; and straightway coming up out 
 of the water." (Mark 1 : 10.) He certainly 
 would not go down into Jordan to have 
 water sprinkled on him. Nobody believes 
 he would. He was baptized in Jordan, not 
 •with Jordan. Moreover, he was baptized, 
 that is, immersed, not rantized, that is, 
 sprinkled. 
 
 Bishop Taylor says : " The custom of 
 the ancient churches was not sprinkling, but 
 immersion, in pursuance of the meaning of 
 the word in the commandments and the 
 example of our blessed Saviour." Commen- 
 tary on Matthew 3 : 16. 
 
 MacKnight says : " Christ submitted to 
 be baptized, that is, to be buried under 
 water, and to be raised out of it again, a» 
 
FOE BAPTIST CHURCHES. 8? 
 
 an emblem of his future death and resur- 
 rection." Com. Epis., Rom. 6 : 4,. 
 
 And with these agree Campbell, Light- 
 foot, Whitby, Poole, Olshausen, Meyer, 
 Alford, and many other commentators and 
 scholars. All those whom John baptized 
 he buried beneath the waters, and raised 
 them up again. 
 
 MUCH WATER NEEDED. 
 
 It is recorded that " John also was bap- 
 tizing in Enon, near to Salim, because there 
 was much water there." (John 3 : 23.) 
 Why need much water, except for dipping, 
 or burying the candidates in the act of bao- 
 tisni ? 
 
 John Calvin, the great theologian, 
 scholar, and commentator, whom Scaliger 
 pronounced the most learned man in Europe, 
 says : " From the words of John (chap. 3 : 
 23) it may be inferred that baptism was 
 administered by John and Christ, by plung- 
 ing the whole bodv under water." Com. on 
 John 3 : 28. 
 
 Poole says : " It is apparent that both 
 Christ and John baptized by dipping the 
 whole body in the water, else they need 
 Dot have sought places where had been 
 
88 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 a great plenty of water." Armot. sohn 
 3 : S3. 
 
 Whitby says : " Because there was much 
 water there in which their whole bodies 
 might be dipped." Grit. Com. John S : 
 23. 
 
 With these agree Bengel, Curcaslleus, 
 Adam Clarke, Geikie, Stanley, and others. 
 
 PHILIP AND THE EUNUCH. 
 
 " And they went down both into the water, 
 both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized 
 him. And when they were come up out of the 
 water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away 
 Philip." (Acts 8 : 38.) Why go down 
 into the water, both, or either of them, if 
 not for an immersion ? 
 
 Venema, the ecclesiastical historian, says : 
 " It is without controversy, that baptism in 
 the primitive church was administered by 
 immersion into water, and not by sprink- 
 ling ; seeing that John is said to have bap- 
 tized in Jordan, and where there was much 
 water, as Christ also did by his disciples in 
 the neighborhood of those places. Philip 
 also going down into the water baptized the 
 eunuch." Eccl. Hid., chap. I., eec. 138. 
 
 To this may be added Calvin, Grotius, 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 8& 
 
 Towerson, Poole, and others to the sam« 
 effect. 
 
 THE TESTIMONY OF 8CHOULRS. 
 
 Great men are not always wise. Our 
 search should be for the truth wherever 
 found ; and though our final appeal in these 
 matters is to the New Testament, still we 
 are glad to use the testimony of distin- 
 guished scholars where it affirms the teach- 
 ings of the Scriptures and confirms our posi- 
 tion on the baptismal question. Especially 
 so, as these scholars are not of our own, but 
 of other denominations. 
 
 Zanchius, the learned Roman Catholic 
 Professor of Heidelberg, whose opinion 
 De Courcy declared, " is worth a thousand 
 others," said : " The proper signification of 
 baptize is to immerse, plunge under, over- 
 whelm in water." Works, Vol. VI., p. 217. 
 Geneva, 1619, 
 
 Luther, the great German Reformer, 
 Bays : " The term baptism is Greek ; in Latin 
 it may be translated mersio ; since we immerse 
 anything into water, that the whole may be 
 covered with the water." Works, Vol. J u 
 p. 71. WU. ed., 1582. 
 
 Melancthon, the most scholarly and able 
 8» 
 
90 STANDARD MANUAL. 
 
 co-la borer with Luther, says : " Baptism is 
 immersion into water, with this admirable 
 benediction." Melanc. Cateo. Wit., 1680. 
 
 Cave, in his able work on Christian 
 A-iitiquities, says: "The party to be bap- 
 tized was wholly immersed, or put under 
 vvater," Prim. Christ, P. I. Chap. X. p. 
 320. 
 
 Beza, the learned translator of the New 
 Testament, says : " Christ commanded us to 
 be baptized, by which word it is certain im- 
 mersion is signified." Annot. on Mark 7 : 4- 
 
 Mede, the distinguished English scholar 
 and divine, says : " There was no such thing 
 as sprinkling used in the Apostles' days, nor 
 for many ages after them." Dis. on Titus 
 3:6. 
 
 Grotius, whom his biographer calls one 
 of the most illustrious names in literature, 
 politics, and theology, says : " That baptism 
 used to be performed by immersion, and not 
 by pouring, appears by the proper significa- 
 tion of the word, and by the places chosen 
 for the administration of the rite." Annot. 
 on Matt. 3 : 6 ; John 3 : 23. 
 
 Adam Clark, the great Methodist com- 
 mentator, says : " Alluding to the immer- 
 tions practiced in the case of adults, wherein 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 91 
 
 the person appeared to be buried under the 
 water as Christ was buried in the heart of 
 the earth." Com. on Col. 2 : 12. 
 
 Frederick Meyer, one of the ablest 
 and most accurate exegetes of the present 
 age, says : " Immersion, which the word in 
 classic Greek aud in the New Testament 
 ever means." Com. on Mark 7 : J/,. 
 
 Dean Alford says : " The baptism was 
 administered by the immersion of the whole 
 person." Greek Testament, Matt. 3 : 6. 
 
 Bishop Bossuet, the celebrated French 
 Catholic bishop, orator and counselor of 
 state, says : " To baptize, signifies to plunge, 
 as is granted by all the world." See Sten- 
 nett ad Russen, p. 17 J/,. 
 
 Dr. Schaff, the well-known church his- 
 torian, says : " Immersion, and not sprink- 
 ling, was unquestionably the original form. 
 This is shown by the very meaning of the 
 words baptizo, baptis-ma, and baptismos used 
 to designate the rite." Hist. Apos. Ch., p. 
 iS8. Merc, ed., 1851. Also see Noel on 
 Bap, Ch. 3, sec. 8. 
 
 Dean Stanley, the distinguished schol- 
 ar, and historian of the Oriental Church, says : 
 " The practice of the Eastern Church, and 
 the meaning of the word, leave no sufficient 
 
92 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 ground for question that the original form 
 of baptism was complete immersion in the 
 deep baptismal waters." Hist. Eastern 
 Church, p. 3£. 
 
 Prof. Fisher, of Yale College, the 
 accomplished scholar and historian, says of 
 the apostolic age : " The ordinary mode of 
 baptism was by immersion." Hist. Christ. 
 Church, p. Jfl. 
 
 Prof. Riddle says : " There is no doubt 
 that the usual mode of administering bap- 
 tism in the early church, was by immersion, 
 or plunging the whole body of the person 
 baptized under water." Christ. Antio., p. 
 602. 
 
 Add to the above the testimony of Bishops 
 Taylor and Sherlock, Witsius, Poole, Vit- 
 ringa, Diodati, Calvin, Samuel Ciark, 
 Bloomfield, Scholz, Neander, and many 
 others to the same effect, none of whom 
 were Baptists. 
 
 APOSTOLICAL ALLUSIONS. 
 
 What idea could the apostle have had as 
 to the nature of baptism, when in two of 
 his epistles he alludes to it as a burial 
 except that it was a dipping or burial b 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 98 
 
 water ? To the Romans he says : " There- 
 fore we are buried with him, by baptism, 
 into death." (Rom. 6 : 4.) To the Colos- 
 eians, in nearlv the same language, "Buried 
 with him in baptism." (Col. 2 : 12.) No 
 one can misunderstand the meaning of these 
 words. Neither sprinkling, pouring, wash- 
 ing, cleansing — nothing but a complete sub- 
 mersion — can represent a burial. And no 
 candid mind could misunderstand such lan- 
 guage, unless blinded or biased by preju- 
 dice, education, or sophistical reasoning from 
 others. 
 
 Archbishop Tillotson makes this com- 
 ment : " Anciently those who were baptized 
 were immersed and buried in the w r ater, to 
 represent their death to sin ; and then did 
 rise up out of the water, to signify their 
 entrance upon a new life. And to this cus- 
 tom the Apostle alludes." Works, Vol. I, 
 p. 179. 
 
 John Wesley, the celebrated founder of 
 Methodism, says : " Buried with him, allud- 
 ing to the ancient manner of baptizing by 
 immersion." Note on Rom. 6 : 4- 
 
 Conybeabe says : "This passage cannot 
 be understood unless it be borne in mind 
 that the primitive baptism was by immer~ 
 
94 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 lion" Life and Epist. St. Paul, Rom. 
 
 6.-4- 
 
 Bloomfield says : " Here is a plain allu- 
 sion to the ancient custom of baptizing by 
 immersion; and I agree with Koppe and 
 Rosenmuller, that there is reason to regret 
 it should ever have been abandoned in most 
 Christian churches; especially as it has so 
 evident a reference to the mystical sense of 
 baptism." Recens. Synop., Rom. 6 : 4>- 
 
 Whitefield says : " It is certain that 
 in the words of our text (Rom. 6 : 4) there 
 is an allusion to the manner of baptizing, 
 which was by immersion" Eighteen Ser- 
 mons, p. 297. 
 
 Meyee says : " The candidate says to him- 
 self, now I enter into fellowship with the 
 death of Christ; I am to be buried with 
 Christ in the immersion, and in the emersion 
 I rise with Christ to newness of life." Com. 
 on Rom. 6 : 4,. 
 
 Add to these the names of Bishop FelL, 
 Dr. Doddridge, Adam Clark, Estius, Mai- 
 donatus, Fritsche, Benson, Diodati, Tur- 
 retin, Zwingli, Whitby, Samuel Clarke, with 
 others equally good in authority, and what 
 no one ought to question seems to be put 
 beyond doubt. 
 
FOE BAPTIST CHURCHES. M 
 
 THE WITNESS OF HISTORY. 
 
 Learned and devout men have studied 
 with care the early records of Christianity, 
 and have written histories of the doctrines 
 and customs of the churches, during the 
 ages immediately succeeding the Apostles. 
 What do they tell us as to the use of bap- 
 tism during the first centuries after Christ? 
 
 Barnabas, the companion of St. Paul, 
 Hermas, writing about a. d. 95; Justin 
 Martyr, about A. D. 140 ; Tertullian, about 
 A. D. 204 j Hippolytus, about A. D. 225 ; 
 Gregory, about a. d. 360 ; Basil, about a. d. 
 360; Ambrose, about a. d. 374; Cyril* 
 about A. D. 374 ; Chrysostom, about A. D. 
 400 ; all speak of being dipped, or buried } 
 or immersed, or plwiged in the water in 
 baptism ; and none of them make the least 
 allusion to any application of water to the 
 person for baptism, by sprinkling, pouring, 
 washing, or any other mode whatever. 
 
 Dr. Wall, whose learned and laborious 
 researches in connection with his exhaustive 
 work on the History of Infant Baptism 
 left little for others to discover in this field 
 of scholarship, says : " The Greek Church in 
 all its branches does still use immersion, and 
 
96 STANDARD MANTJAjl 
 
 so do all other Christians in the vorld, 
 except the Latins. All those nations that 
 do now, or formerly did submit to the Bishop 
 of Rome, do ordinarily baptize their chil- 
 dren by pouring or sprinkling. But all 
 other Christians in the world, who never 
 owned the Pope's usurped power, do and 
 ever did dip their infants in the ordinary 
 use. All the Christians in Asia, all in Africa, 
 and about one-third in Europe are of the 
 last sort." Hist Inf. Bap., Vol. II, p. 
 876, 3d ed. 
 
 Bingham, in his Origines, the ablest 
 work we have in English on Christian An- 
 tiquities, says : " The ancients thought that 
 immersion, or burying wnder water, did more 
 lively represent the death, burial, and resur- 
 rection of Christ, as well as our own death 
 to sin and rising again unto righteousness." 
 Christ. Antiq., B. XL, Ch. XL 
 
 Mosheim says : " In this century {the 
 1st) baptism was administered in convenient 
 places, without the public assemblies, and 
 bv immersing the candidate wholly in water." 
 Eccl. Hist. Cent. L, Part IL, Ch. 4. 
 
 Neander says : " In respect to the form 
 of Baptism, it was in conformity to the origi- 
 nal institution, and the original import of 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 97 
 
 the symbol, performed by immersion, as a 
 sign of entire baptism into the Holy Spirit, 
 of being entirely penetrated with the same." 
 Ch. Bid., Vol. I., p. 810. Also, Plant, and 
 Train., Vol. L, p. 222. 
 
 Schaff says : " Finally, so far as it re- 
 spects the mode and manner of outward 
 baptizing, there can be no doubt that immer- 
 sion, and not sprinkling, was the original 
 normal form." Hist. Christ. Ch., p. 488. 
 
 Pressestse says : " Baptism, which was the 
 sign of admission into the church, was ad- 
 ministered by immersion. The convert was 
 plunged beneath the water, and as he rose 
 from it he received the laying on of hands." 
 Early Years of Christianity, p. 874- 
 
 Kurtz says : " Baptism took place by a 
 x>mplete immersion.^ Church History, p. 
 
 n. 
 
 Kraus says: "Baptism was performed 
 by immersion in the name of the Trinity." 
 Church History, p. 56. 1882. 
 
 Ellicott says : " Jewish ablutions arrived 
 at a ceremonial purity in the Levitical sense, 
 and had nothing in common with the figur- 
 ative act which portrayed through immersion 
 the complete disappearance of the old nature, 
 and by the emerging again the beginning of 
 
08 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 a totally new life." Life of Christ* «. 
 110. 
 
 FOR THIRTEEN CENTURIES. 
 
 It is proven that, not only was immer- 
 sion practiced for baptism by Christ and 
 his Apostles, but that for many ages after 
 nothing else was known as baptism ; and 
 that for thirteen hwndred years it was the 
 common and prevailing form over the 
 whole Christian world, with only exceptional 
 departures, hereafter to be noticed. And 
 that though the Latin or Roman Church 
 did finally adopt sprinkling, claiming the 
 right to change ordinances, the Greek and 
 all the Oriental churches retained dipping, 
 as they do to this day. 
 
 Dr. Stackhouse says : " Several authors 
 have shown and proved that this manner of 
 immersion continued, as much as possible to 
 be used for thirteen hwndred years after 
 Christ?" Hist Bible, B. 8, Ch. 1. 
 
 Bishop Bossuet says : " We are able to 
 make it appear, by the acts of councils and 
 by ancient rituals, that for thirteen hundred 
 years baptism was thus administered [by 
 immersion] throughout the whole church, 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 99 
 
 as far as possible." OUed f Stennd ad 
 Bussen p. 176. 
 
 Hagenbach says : " From the thirteenth 
 oentury sprinkling came into more general 
 use in the West. The Greek Church, how- 
 ever, and the church of Milan still retained 
 the practice of immersion" Hist. Dod. 
 Vol. IL y p. 8h note 1. 
 
 Van Oostekzee, says : " This sjtrinUmg y 
 which appears to have first come generally 
 into use in the thirteenth century in place of 
 the entire immersion of the body, in imita- 
 tion of the previous baptism of the sick, 
 has certainly this imperfection, that the sym- 
 bolical character of the act is expressed by 
 it much less conspicuously than by complete 
 immersion and burial under the water." 
 Christ Dogmat., Vol. IL, p. 7jB. 
 
 Coleman says : " The practice of immer- 
 sion continued even until the thirteenth or 
 fourteenth century. Indeed, it has never 
 been formally abandoned." Anc. Christ, 
 JExemp Gi. 19, Sec. W. 
 
 To the same effect is the testimony of 
 Drs. Brenner, Yon Colin, Winer, Augusti, 
 Bingham, and others. 
 
100 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 AS TO THE GREEK CHURCH. 
 
 It is a notable fact, and worthy of record 
 in this discussion, that the Greek Church 
 has always retained immersion in baptism 
 This church extends over Greece, Russia, 
 Arabia, Palestine, Abyssinia, Siberia, and 
 other Oriental countries. Like the Latin 
 Church, it has corrupted the primitive purity 
 of gospel doctrine and practice with many 
 absurd glosses and superstitious rites. It 
 practices infant baptism, yet it is by dip- 
 ping, even in the severe climate of Siberia ; 
 and it uses trine immersion, or dipping the 
 candidate three times, once to each of the 
 names iu the sacred Trinity. But in all its 
 branches immersion is retained. 
 
 The Edinburg Encyclopedia says : 
 " The Greek Church, as well as the Schis- 
 matics in the East, retained the custom of 
 immersing the whole body ; but the Western 
 Church adopted, in the thirteenth century, 
 the mode of sprinkling, which has been 
 continued by the Protestants, Baptists only 
 excepted." Ency. Edin., Art. Baptism. 
 
 These statements are fully confirmed by 
 Stourdza, Ricaut, Deylingiua, Buddeus, 
 Wall, King, Broughton, Stanley, Coleman, 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHE8. 101 
 
 wnd others, who have written on the state 
 and history of the Greek Church. 
 
 THE DESIGN OF BAPTISM. 
 
 Whi.t was baptism intended to represent? 
 As a religious rite it meant something, had 
 some symbolic force, and represented some 
 moral or spiritual fact or truth. Its mean- 
 ing was clearly this : to show forth the 
 death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, 
 who died for our sins, and rose again for 
 our justification. And every believer who 
 receives this ordinance, professes thereby to 
 have faith in the merits of Christ's death, 
 as the ground of his own hope of salvation ; 
 to have fellowship also with his sufferings, 
 and makes a declaration of his own death 
 to sin, and rising to a new life in Christ 
 It also typifies the washing of regeneration ; 
 it further declares the candidate's hope of a 
 resurrection from the dead, even as Christ, 
 into the likeness of whose death he is 
 buried, was raised up by the glory of the 
 Father. Chiefly death, burial, and resur- 
 rection ; the great facts of redemptive grace 
 are by it set forth. Immersion in baptism 
 does teach all this, and immersion alone can 
 teach it Careful students of the New 
 
102 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 Testament have clearly seen this, and very 
 generally confessed it, whatever may have 
 been their practice. 
 
 Bishop Newton says : " Baptism was 
 usually performed by immersion, or dipping 
 the whole body under water, to represent 
 the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, 
 and thereby signify the person's own dying 
 to sin, the destruction of its power, and his 
 resurrection to a new life." Pract. Expos. 
 Cate., p. 297. 
 
 Bloomfield, Barnes, Schaff, Poole, 
 Hammond, Barrows, Baxter, MacKnight, 
 Olshausen, Grotius, Saurin, Buddeus, Pic- 
 tetus, Fran ki us, Wall, Towerson, Adam 
 Clark, Tyndale, and others, bear similar tes- 
 timony as to the design of the ordinance, 
 and how it is answered in immersion only- 
 
 A SUFFICIENCY OF WATER. 
 
 There have been found persons so igno- 
 rant, or so weak, or so perverse in their 
 opposition to immersion, as to assert that 
 the Jordan was a small stream, so nearly 
 dry in the summer, that it had not sufficient 
 depth of water for the immersion of the 
 multitudes of the disciples of John and of 
 Jesus said to have been baptised in it ; and 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 103 
 
 dso that Jerusalem had no sufficient accom- 
 modation for the immersion of the thou- 
 sands of converts at the Pentecost, and on 
 subsequent occasions. People are becoming 
 more intelligent, and more candid, and it is 
 possible that such puerile objections are no 
 more heard. But it may be well to give 
 passing notice to the facts. 
 
 Dr. Edward Robinson, at that time 
 professor in the Union Theological Semi- 
 nary, New York City, in 1840, made a 
 careful survey of Palestine, including the 
 Jordan valley and river. His published 
 statements corroborate those of others pre- 
 viously made, as to the abundant supply of 
 water, both in the Jordan, and in the city 
 of Jerusalem. He cites the published 
 statements of earlier explorers, whose works 
 are known to the reading public. Seetzen, 
 who visited that country in 1806 ; Burk- 
 hardt, who explored it in 1812; Irby and 
 Mangles, in 1818 ; and Buckingham, who 
 traveled through it about the same time. 
 See Robimcm's Bib. Research, Vol. II. See. 
 10, pp 257-867. 
 
 Lieutenant Lynch, of the United 
 States Navy, was, in 1848, sent out by our 
 government in charge of an expedition te 
 
104 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 explore the river Jordan and the Dead 
 Sea. Dr. Thomson, for a quarter of a cen- 
 tury missionary in Syria and Palestine, 
 traversed the land in 1857, and Dean 
 Stanley in 1853, and others more recently. 
 For a complete refutation of such puerile 
 objections as those above mentioned, and a 
 confirmation of Baptist claims, 6ee the fol- 
 lowing works : Robinson's Biblical Re- 
 searches, Vol. II. Sec. 10, pp. 257-267. 
 Lynch's Dead Sea Expedition, Ch. 10 and 
 11. Thomson's The Land and the Book, 
 Vol. II. pp. 445-6. Stanley's Svria and 
 Palestine, Ch. 7, pp. 306-7. Barclay's 
 The City of the Great Kings, Ch. 10. An^ 
 other citations in " Baptist Church Direct 
 ory." 
 
 THE RISE OF SPRINKLING. 
 
 The question will naturally arise, and 
 very properly, when did sprinkling for 
 baptism first come into use? And ho\t 
 came it to pass, that a human device super- 
 seded and took the place of a divine insti- 
 tution? These questions are fully and 
 satisfactorily answered, by Pedobaptisf 
 scholars themselves, whose testimony w€ 
 aooept as a justification of Baptist views. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 106 
 
 For two hundred and fifty years after 
 Christ we have no evidence of any depart- 
 ure from the primitive practice of immer- 
 sion. At length the idea came to prevail 
 that baptism possessed saviug virtue, and 
 had power to purify and sanctify the soul, 
 making its salvation more secure. It was 
 consequently thought unsafe to die unbap- 
 tized. Here was the germ of the peroicious 
 dogma of " baptismal regeneration," the 
 foundation alike of infant baptism, and of 
 sprinkling instead of immersion. 
 
 The first authenticated instance of sprink- 
 ling occurred about the middle of the third 
 century, or A. D. 250. This was the case 
 of Novatian. The historian Eusebius gives 
 this case, and Dr. Wall in his laborious 
 researches could find no earlier instance ; 
 good evidence that no earlier existed. 
 Novatian was dangerously sick, and believ- 
 ing himself about to die, was anxious to be 
 baptized. The case seemed urgent, and as 
 he was thought to be too feeble to be 
 immersed, a substitute was resorted to, 
 water was poured profusely over him as he 
 lay in bed, so as to resemble as much as 
 possible a submersion. The word used to 
 describe this action (perichutheis, perfustu) 
 
106 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 has usually been rendered besprinkle; it 
 rather means to pour profusely over and 
 about one. This it was thought might 
 answer the purpose in such an emergency. 
 From this time onward pouring and 
 sprinkling were resorted to at times of 
 extreme illness, or feebleness, where persons 
 could not leave their beds, and hence was 
 termed clinic baptism, from clina, a couch. 
 But it was always regarded as a substitute 
 for baptism, rather than baptism itself; and 
 its validity was doubted. Novatian himself 
 having recovered from his sickness, was 
 objected to when his friends proposed to 
 make him bishop, because, it was said, he 
 had never been properly baptized. It was 
 not, however, until the seventeenth centur' 
 that sprinkling became common in Europe 
 in France first, and then extending through 
 those countries over which the pope held 
 sway. At length, accepted by Calvin and 
 the Genevan Church, it extended into Scot- 
 land, by John Knox, and other Scotch 
 refugees, who had found in Geneva a shel- 
 ter from the persecution to which they had 
 been exposed in their native country ; then 
 into England ; and in 1643 it was adopted 
 i* the exclusive mode of baptism by a 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. 107 
 
 majority of one in the Westminster Assem- 
 bly of Divines, and sanctioned by Parlia- 
 ment the next year. All of which is veri- 
 fied by Eusebius, Valesius, Wall, Salma- 
 sius, Venema, Taylor, Towerson, Grotius. 
 " Ency. Brit." ; " Edin. Eney," and other 
 reliable historical authorities. * 
 
 1 For more numerous citations on this subject, see the u Star 
 Book on Christian Baptism/' and " The Baptist Church Dtreo- 
 tery." 
 
1M STANDARD MA27UAI. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE LORD'S SUPPER. 
 
 The Lord's Supper, called also tne 
 " Eucharist," and the " Communion," \s 
 the most sacred act of Christian worship, 
 and the highest expression of the mysteries 
 of our holy religion. It is a service in 
 which bread and wine — the loaf and the cup 
 — are used to represent the body and the 
 blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, slain foi 
 us. The bread is broken, distributed, and 
 eaten ; the wine is poured, distributed, and 
 drunk by the members of the assembled 
 church, to show the sacrifice of Christ, his 
 body broken, and his blood shed for their 
 redemption ; and that by his death they 
 have life. Being begotten of God through 
 the operation of the Spirit, their new life is 
 sustained and nourished by mystically feed- 
 ing on him who is the Bread of God, which 
 came down from heaven to give life to the 
 world. He said : " This do in remembrance 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 109 
 
 of me." " As oft as ye eat this bread 
 and drink the cup ye proclaim the Lord's 
 death, till he come." " Except ye eat the 
 flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, 
 re have no life in you." " Whoso eateth 
 my * flesh and drinketh my blood, hath 
 eternal life." " He that eateth my flesh, 
 and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, 
 and I in him." It is a divine reality, 
 though a sublime mystery. 
 
 OPEN AND CLOSE COMMUNION. 
 
 The controversy between Baptists and 
 other denominations, so far as the Lord's 
 Supper is concerned, has no reference to its 
 nature, the purpose for which it was insti- 
 tuted, the manner of its administration, or 
 the effect of the elements on the participants. 
 It has reference simply to the proper sub- 
 jects for participation in the privilege. 
 Who may, and who may not properly and 
 of right come to the Lord's Table ? On 
 the question of what are the Scriptural 
 qualifications of participants, Baptists and 
 Pedobaptists differ — differ not as to the 
 general rule to be applied, but as to its par- 
 ticular application. And this particular 
 application leads to the controversy on 
 
 10 
 
110 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 what is called " close communion," as prac- 
 ticed by Baptists, and to what is called 
 " open communion" as practiced by Pedo- 
 baptists. 
 
 Wliat is open communion f Open, tree 
 or mixed communion is, strictly speaking, 
 iiat which allows any one who desires, and 
 relieves himself qualified, to come to the 
 Lord's Table, without any questions being 
 asked, or conditions imposed by the church 
 in which the ordinance is observed. But 
 ordinarily the term is applied to the prac- 
 tice of the greater part of the Pedobaptist 
 churches, which hold that sprinkling is law- 
 ful baptism, and invite, not all persons, but 
 members of all evangelical churches, what- 
 ever be their view of church order and 
 ordinances ; holding them all as being bap- 
 tized because they have been sprinkled. 
 
 What is close communion f Close, 
 strict, or restricted communion is, properly 
 speaking, that which does not invite all 
 indiscriminately to the Lord's Table, but 
 restricts the privilege to a particular class. 
 But ordinarily the term is applied to the 
 practice of Baptist churches, which invite 
 only baptized believers, walking in orderly 
 fellowship in their own churches. And by 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. Ill 
 
 baptized believers, they mean, of course, 
 immersed believers ; not admitting sprink- 
 ling to be baptism at all. 
 
 ONE AND THE SAME RULE. 
 
 Observe further : That Baptists and Pedo- 
 baptists have one and the same rule in 
 theory as to the proper qualification for 
 participants, namely, they all hold that 
 baptism is a prerequisite. That unbaptized 
 persons have no legal right to the Lord's 
 Supper, and cannot consistently be invited 
 to it. Pedobaptists would not invite unbap- 
 tized persons to the Lord's Table, however 
 good Christians, since such could not 
 become church members, and the Supper is 
 for those within the church, not for the 
 outside world. For though a few churches 
 and a few pastors, who in their extreme 
 liberality might be disposed to invite every- 
 body to the sacred ordinance, yet such a 
 course would be contrary to their denomi- 
 national standards, and opposed to the 
 usages of tb^ir churches generally. 
 
 Further observe: They all practice a 
 restriction, nince they restrict the privilege 
 to a part r <;ular class ; namely, baptized 
 believers, Talking in orderly church fellow- 
 
U2 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 ship. But Baptists and Pedobaptists differ 
 as to what constitutes baptism, the one 
 rejecting, and the other accepting the valid- 
 ity of sprinkling. Thus Baptists' custom 
 is nWe " close" and Pedobaptists' is more 
 " open" by the difference between their 
 views of baptism ; and by that difference 
 only. Therefore, it is manifest that the 
 question so called of " close " and " open '' 
 communion is really not a question of 
 " communion " at all, but of what consti- 
 tutes Scriptural baptism. Let that be 
 settled, and the controversy as to the restric- 
 tion of the Lord's Supper will cease. 
 
 THE BAPTIST POSITION. 
 
 Baptists hold that there are three impera- 
 tive conditions precedent to the privileges 
 of the Lord's Supper. 1. Regeneration. 
 No unconverted person can with pro- 
 priety, or of right, eat and drink at that 
 sacred feast, in commemoration of Christ's 
 death. They must be persons dead to sin, 
 and alive to God ; born again, through the 
 operation of the Spirit. 2. Baptism. Bur- 
 ied with Christ in baptism on a profession 
 oi faith in him. No person, however good, 
 and however manifestly regenerate, is pre- 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUKCHES. 118 
 
 oared without baptism, according to the 
 divine order, to receive the Supper. With- 
 out baptism he cannot enter the fellowship 
 of the church, where the Supper alone is 
 to be enjoyed. 3. An orderly walk is neces- 
 sary. An upright and consistent Christian 
 walk, and godly conversation among the 
 saints, and before the world. For though 
 one may be truly regenerate, and properly 
 baptized, yet if he be a disorderly walker, 
 violating his covenant obligations, living in 
 sin, and bringing reproach on the Christian 
 profession, he has no right to sit at the 
 Lord's Table. 
 
 The ordinances are a sacred trust which 
 Christ has committed to the churches as 
 custodians, and which they are to watch 
 and guard from all profane intrusion, and 
 improper use, with the most sedulous 
 fidelity. Baptists believe that in order to 
 maintain the purity and spirituality of the 
 churches, it is necessary to maintain the 
 ordinances pure ; and especially necessary 
 to restrict the Supper to regenerate and 
 godly persons, baptized on a profession of 
 their faith, into the fellowship of the saints. 
 To adopt any other rule, or to allow any 
 larger liberty, would break down the dis- 
 10* 
 
114 STANDAKI) MANUAJL 
 
 tinction between the church and the world ; 
 would bring in a carnal and unconverted 
 membership, and transfer the sacred mys- 
 teries of the body and the blood of Christ 
 from the temple of God to the temple of 
 Belial. This would be disloyalty to Christ. 
 
 The apostolic plan was as follows : Those 
 who believed, and gladly received the ivard, 
 were baptized. Then they were added to 
 the chwrch. Then they continued steadfast 
 in the apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, and 
 in breaking of bread, and in prayer. 
 
 Notice, they were not baptized till they 
 had received the word and believed. They 
 were not added to the church till they had 
 believed and been baptized. They did not 
 engage in the breaking of bread (that is, 
 the Supper), till they had believed, been 
 baptized, and were added to the church. 
 This is the divine order ; and this is the 
 order which Baptists maintain and defend. 
 
 PEDOBAJPTIST CLOSE COMMUNION. 
 
 It has already been shown that Pedobap- 
 tiste themselves practice a restricted or close 
 communion, limiting the privilege to bap- 
 tized (as they call them) members of evan- 
 gelical churches, and that their communion 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHES. 116 
 
 is more liberal than that of the Baptists only, 
 and only by so much as their baptism (so- 
 called) is more liberal than that of Baptists. 
 But in some respects Pedobaptists practice 
 a " close communion," restrictive in its con- 
 ditions, far beyond anything known to Bap- 
 tists whose illiberality they are accustomed 
 to magnify. They exclude a large class of 
 their own members from the Lord's Table — 
 namely, baptized children! Baptists do not 
 deny the Lord's Supper to their own members 
 in good standing. If children are suitable 
 subjects for baptism, it seems most unreason- 
 able and unjust to deny them the Supper. 
 If they can be benefited by one ordinance, 
 can they not be equally benefited by the 
 other ? If they can receive the one on the faith 
 of sponsors, can they not receive the other in 
 the same way ? Who has authorized parents 
 or ministers to give baptism to unconverted 
 and unconscious children, and refuse them 
 the Lord's Supper? By denying the Sup- 
 per to baptized children, Pedobaptists art 
 contrary to the traditions of the ancient 
 churches, which they are accustomed to cite 
 with so much assurance, in defense of infant 
 baptism. Do they not know that those 
 ancient churches (not the primitive churches) 
 
116 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 gave the Lord's Supper to infants for many 
 centuries? And the Greek Church, through 
 all its branches, continues still the same 
 practice. 
 
 Dr. Coleman says : "After the general 
 introduction of infant baptism, in the second 
 and third centuries, the sacrament continued 
 to be administered to all who had been bap- 
 tized, whether infants or adults. The reason 
 alleged by Cyprian and others for this 
 practice was, that age was no impediment. 
 Augustine strongly advocates the practice. 
 The custom continued for several centuries. 
 It is mentioned in the third Council of 
 Tours, a. D. 813; and even the Council 
 of Trent, A. D. 1545, only decreed that it 
 should not be considered essential to salva- 
 tion. It is still scrupulously observed by 
 the Greek Church." Anc. Christ. JExemp. f 
 Ch. 28, Sec. 8; Bing. Orig., B. 16, Ch. 4, 
 Sec. 7. Many other writers bear the same 
 Itstimony. 
 
 THE POWER OP 8YMPATHY. 
 
 There is a small class of Baptists who are 
 at times inclined to desire, and it may be, to 
 seek a wider liberty at the Lord's Table 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. H7 
 
 than they find accorded in their own churches. 
 The one prevailing argument with them is 
 tympathy. To them it seems kindly and 
 fraternal to invite all who say they love our 
 common Lord and Saviour to unite in com- 
 memorating his death in the Supper. Even 
 if they have not been baptized, they them- 
 selves believe they have, and they are good 
 Christian people. "Why stand upon a 
 technicality ? " they say. To such the ser- 
 vice is merely a sentimental service ; a 
 kind of love feast to show Christian fel- 
 lowship, rather than an instituted com- 
 memoration of their dying Lord. They 
 have neither Scripture, logic, expediency, 
 the scholarship, nor the concurrent practice 
 of Christendom, either past or present, to 
 sustain their position. But sympathy influ- 
 ences them ; yet sympathy should not con- 
 trol conduct in matters of faith, or in acta 
 of conscience. It is a grave perversion 
 when affection for his disciples sways us 
 more than fidelity to our Lord. We should 
 not be so kind to them as to be untrue to 
 him. Sincere Christians will honor those 
 who are loyal to Christ, even though they 
 differ in opinion. 
 
118 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 THREE FACTS EXPLAINED. 
 
 Baptists give the following reasons in justi- 
 fication of their course in the following cases : 
 
 1. They do not invite Pedobaptists to the 
 Lord's Supper with them, because such per- 
 sons are not baptized, as has been shown, 
 they being simply sprinkled. They may 
 be true converts, and have the spiritual 
 qualifications, but they are destitute of the 
 ceremonial qualification — baptism. The 
 "buried in baptism" comes before the 
 " breaking of bread." 
 
 2. They do not accept the invitation of 
 Pedobaptist churches to eat at the Lord's 
 Table with them, for the same reason ; they 
 are not baptized Christians. And while 
 they appreciate their Christian fellowship, 
 they could not accept their church fellow- 
 ship, and sit at the Lord's Table with them, 
 without accepting their sprinkling and in- 
 dorsing their baptismal errors. 
 
 3. They do not invite immersed members 
 of Pedobaptist churches to the Lord's Supper 
 with them, because such persons, though they 
 may be truly regenerate and properly bap- 
 tized, are walking disorderly by remaining 
 b\ and giving countenance to churches which 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHES. 119 
 
 hold and practice serious errors as to both 
 the ordinances. These churches use sprink- 
 ling for baptism and administer the ordi- 
 nance to infants, both of which are unscript- 
 urai. And yet such persons, by remaining 
 in them, encourage and support these errors, 
 instead of protesting against them by leaving 
 them. They insist on immersion for them- 
 selves, and yet by a strange inconsistency 
 give their fellowship and influence to per- 
 petuate and sanction sprinkling for others. 
 This is inconsistent and disorderly Christian 
 walking ; and, therefore, very properly, 
 Baptists decline to invite them to the Lord's 
 Supper. 
 
 PEDOBAPTIST WITNESSES. 
 
 In further proof that the position of 
 Baptists as to the Lord's Supper is correct 
 and Scriptural ; that the difficulty lies with 
 baptism, and not with the Supper ; and that 
 they must still continue to restrict the ordi- 
 nance to baptized believers, or else admit 
 that sprinkling is baptism, we cite the 
 concessions of distinguished Pedobaptist 
 scholars and divines in evidence on our side. 
 
 Justin Maktyk, one of the early Christian 
 Fathers, says of the Supper: "This food is 
 
120 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 called by us the Eucharist, of which it 
 is not lawful for auy one to partake but 
 such as believe the things taught by us 
 to be true, and have been baptized. " Apol. 
 
 1. C. 65, 66. See Schafs Church Hist Ch. 
 
 2, p. 516. 
 
 Mosheim, in his Church History, says : 
 " Neither those doing penance, nor those not 
 yet baptized, were allowed to be present at 
 the celebration of this ordinance." Eccl. 
 Hist., Cent 3, Part 2, Ch. 4, Set. 3. 
 
 Neander, the great Church historian, 
 says : " At this celebration, as may be easily 
 concluded, no one could be present who 
 was not a member of the Christian Church, 
 and incorporated into it bv the rite of bap- 
 tism." Ch. Hkt, Vol. L, 327. Boston, 
 1849. 
 
 Cave, one of the ablest writers on Chris- 
 tian Antiquities, says the participants in the 
 primitive church were those " that had 
 embraced the doctrine of the gospel, and 
 had been baptized into the faith of Christ. 
 For, looking upon the Lord's Supper ad 
 the highest and most solemn act of religion, 
 they thought they could never take care 
 enough in the dispensing of it." Prim. 
 Christ, Part I.. Ch. 11, p. 333. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 12) 
 
 Bingham, in his able work on the An- 
 tiquities of the Christian Church, says of the 
 early Christians : " As soon as a man was 
 baptized he was communicated " — that is, 
 admitted to the communion. Baptism, 
 therefore, essentially preceded the Supper. 
 —Christ Aniiq. B. 19 y Ch. 4, Sec. 9, B. 16. 
 Ch.3. 
 
 Dr. Wall, who searched the records of 
 antiquity for facts illustrating the history of 
 the ordinances, says : " No church ever gave 
 the communion to any persons before they 
 were baptized. Among all the absurdities 
 that were ever held, none ever maintained 
 that any person should partake of the com- 
 munion before he was baptized." Hist. 
 Inf. Bap , Part 1L, Ch. 9. 
 
 Dr. Coleman says of the early churches : 
 ' None indeed but believers in full commu- 
 nion with the church were permitted to 
 be present." " But agreeably to all the 
 Jaws and customs of the church, baptism 
 jonstituted membership with the church. 
 •All baptized persons were legitimately num- 
 bered among the communicants as members 
 of the church." Anc. Christ. Exemp., Ch. 
 21 Sec. 8. 
 
 Dr. Sch aff says : " The communion was 
 n 
 
122 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 a regular part, and, in fact, the most import- 
 ant and solemn part of the Sunday worship, 
 .... in which none but full members of 
 the church could engage." Ch. ffisL, Vol. 
 L, p. 392. New York, 1871. 
 
 Dr. Doddridge says : " It is certain that 
 so far as our knowledge of primitive antiquity 
 reaches, no unbaptized person received the 
 Lord's Supper." Lectures, pp. 511, 512. 
 
 Dr. Dick says : " An uncircumcised man 
 was not permitted to eat the Passover ; and 
 an unbaptized man should not be permitted 
 to partake of the Eucharist." TheoL, Vol. 
 II, p. 220. 
 
 Dr. Baxter says : " What man dares 
 go in a way which hath neither precept nor 
 example to warrant it, from a way that 
 hath full current of both ? Yet they that 
 will admit members into the visible church 
 without baptism do so." Plain Scripture 
 Proof, p. 2£ 
 
 Dr. Dwight, President of Yale College, 
 and author of " Systematic Theology," says: 
 " It is an indispensable qualification for this 
 ordinance that the candidate for communion 
 be a member of the visible church in full 
 standing. By this, I intend that he should 
 ) « a man of piety ; that he should have 
 
FOB BAPTI8T CHURCHES. 123 
 
 made a public profession of religion, and 
 that he should have been baptized." Syat 
 Theol, Ser. 160, B. 8, Ch. 4, Sec. 7. 
 
 Dr. Griffin, one of the fathers of New 
 England Congregationalism, says : " I agree 
 with the advocates of close communion in 
 two points: 1. That baptism is the initia- 
 tory ordinance which introduces us into the 
 visible church ; of course, where there is no 
 baptism, there are no visible churches. 2. 
 That we ought not to commune with those 
 who are not baptized, and of course not 
 church members, even if we regard them as 
 Christians." Letter on Baptism, 1829 ', cited 
 by Ourtis on Com., p. 125. 
 
 Dr. Hibbard, a leading Methodist scholar 
 and divine, says : " In one principle Baptist 
 and Pedobaptist churches agree. They 
 both agree in rejecting from communion at 
 the table of the Lord, and in denying the 
 rights of church fellowship to all who have 
 not been baptized." And with admirable 
 frankness, he adds : " The charge of dose 
 communion is no more applicable to the 
 Baptists than to us [Pedobaptists] ; inso- 
 much as the question of church fellowship 
 with them is determined by as liberal prin- 
 ciples as it is with any other Protestant 
 
124 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 churches, so far, I mean, as the present sub- 
 ject is concerned — i. e., it is determined by 
 valid baptism" Hibbard on Christ. Bap., 
 P. II, p. 17 % 
 
 Dk. Bullock, another Methodist divine, 
 says : " Close communion, as it is generally 
 termed, is the only logical and consistent 
 course for Baptist churches to pursue. If 
 their premises are right, their conclusion is 
 surely just as it should be." And he com- 
 mends the firmness of Baptists in not invit- 
 ing to the communion those whom they 
 regard as un baptized. He says : " They do 
 not feel willing to countenance such laxity 
 in Christian discipline. Let us honor 
 them for their steadfastness in maintaining 
 what they believe to be a Bible precept, 
 rather than criticise and censure because 
 they differ with us concerning the intent 
 and mode of Christian baptism, and believe 
 it to be an irrepealable condition of coming 
 to the Lord's table." What Christians 
 Believe. 
 
 The Independent, one of the most 
 widely circulated, and perhaps the most in- 
 fluential Pedobaptist paper in the country t in 
 an editorial, says : " Leading writers of all 
 denominations declare that converts mast be 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHUBCHE8. 125 
 
 baptized before they can be invited to the 
 communion table. This is the position 
 generally taken. But Baptists regarding 
 sprinkling as a nullity — no baptism at all — 
 look upon Presbyterians, Methodists, and 
 others, as unbaptized persons." "The 
 other churches cannot urge the Baptists to 
 become open communionists till they them- 
 selves take the position that all who love 
 our Lord Jesus Christ, the unbaptized as 
 well as the baptized, may be invited to 
 the communion table." Editorial, July, 
 1879. 
 
 The Congregationalist, the organ of 
 the New England Congregational Churches, 
 in an editorial, says : " Congregationalists 
 have uniformly, until here and there an ex- 
 ception has arisen of late years, required 
 baptism and church membership as the pre- 
 requisite of a seat at the table of the Lord. 
 It is a part of the false ' liberality ' which 
 now prevails in certain quarters, to welcome 
 everybody ' who thinks he loves Christ ' to 
 commune in his body and blood. Such a 
 course is the first step in breaking down 
 that distinction between the church and the 
 world, which our Saviour emphasized ; and 
 h seems to us it is an unwise and mistaken 
 11* 
 
12«5 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 act for which no Scriptural warrant exists,* 
 Editorial, July 9 y 1879. 
 
 The Observer, of New York, the oldest 
 and leading Presbyterian journal of this 
 country, said : " It is not a want of charity 
 which compels the Baptist to restrict his 
 invitation. He has no hesitation in admit- 
 ting the personal piety of his unimmersed 
 brethren. Presbyterians do not invite the 
 unbaptized, however pious they may be. It 
 is not uncharitable. It is not bigotry on 
 the part of Baptists to confine their com- 
 munion to those whom they consider the 
 baptized." 
 
 The Interior, of Chicago, the organ of 
 Western Presbyterians, said : " The differ- 
 ence between our Baptist brethren and our- 
 selves is an important difference. We agree 
 with them, however, in saying that unbap- 
 tized persons should not partake of the 
 Lord's Supper. Their view compels them 
 to think that we are not baptized, and shuts 
 them up to close communion. Close com- 
 munion is, in our judgment, a more defensi- 
 ble position than open communion, which is 
 justified on the ground that baptism is not 
 a prerequisite to the Lord's Supper. To 
 charge Baptists with bigotry becanse they 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 127 
 
 •bide by the logical consequences of their 
 system is absurd." 
 The Christian Advocate, of New York, 
 
 the leading journal of American Methodists, 
 said : " The regular Baptist churches in the 
 United States may be considered to-day as 
 practically a unit on three points — the non- 
 use of infant baptism, the immersion of 
 believers only upon a profession of faith, 
 and the administration of the holy commu- 
 nion to such only as have been immersed 
 by ministers holding these views. In our 
 opinion the Baptist Church owes its amazing 
 prosperity largely to its adherence to these 
 views. In doctrine and government, and 
 in other respects, it is the same as the Con- 
 gregationalists. In numbers, the regular 
 Baptists are more than six times as great as 
 the Congregationalism. It is not bigotry 
 to adhere to one's convictions, providing 
 the spirit of Christian love prevails/' 
 
 The Episcopal .Recorder said : " The 
 close communion of the Baptist churches is 
 but the necessary sequence of the funda- 
 mental idea out of which their existence 
 has grown. No Christian Church would 
 willingly receive to its communion even the 
 humblest and truest believer in Christ who 
 
128 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 had not been baptized. With Baptists, im- 
 mersion only is baptism, and they therefore 
 of necessity exclude from the Lord's Table 
 all who have not been immersed. It is an 
 essential part of the system — the legitimate 
 carrying out of the creed." 
 
 Bishop Coxe, of the Episcopal diocese of 
 Western New York, says : " The Baptists 
 hold that we have never been baptized, and 
 they must exclude us from their communion 
 table, if we were disposed to go there. Are 
 we offended ? Do we call it illiberal ? No ; 
 we call it principle, and we respect it. To 
 say that we have never become members of 
 Christ by baptism seems severe, but it is a 
 conscientious adherence to duty, as they re- 
 gard it I should be the bigot, and not 
 they, if I should ask them to violate their 
 discipline in this, or in any other particu- 
 lar." On Chris. Unity, in " Church Union," 
 July, 189L 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHUBCHE& 129 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 INFANT BAPTISM. 
 
 One of the customs held and upheld by 
 Pedobaptist churches, which Baptists seri- 
 ously condemn, is infant baptism. It is 
 practiced by both Roman Catholics and Pro- 
 testants as a religious institution; and 
 though not held as sacredly, or practiced as 
 widely as formerly, it still prevails to a 
 wide extent throughout the Christian world. 
 And yet it was not instituted by Christ, nor 
 practiced by his apostles, nor known in the 
 primitive churches, and has neither sanction 
 nor recognition in the word of God. It is 
 for this reason that Baptists utterly reject 
 and condemn the custom, as not simply use- 
 less and without authority, but as a most 
 pernicious and hurtful usage ; that it is in- 
 jurious both to the child that receives it, 
 and to the church which allows it, can be 
 easily shown. Baptism before faith, and 
 without a profession of it, contradicts and 
 
180 STANDARD MAJSUAL 
 
 doea violence to all New Testament teach- 
 ing. 
 
 NOT OF SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY. 
 
 Now, that infant baptism is not of Script- 
 ural authority, and was not known in the 
 first Christian ages, nearly all its advocates 
 and defenders have with considerable can- 
 dor admitted. Only a few of their historians 
 and scholars can be cited here. 
 
 Dr. William Wall, a learned divine 
 of the English Church, who wrote the His- 
 tory of Infant Baptism, a work so able 
 that the clergy in convocation assembled 
 gave him a vote of thanks for his defense 
 of the custom, says : " Among all the per- 
 sons that are recorded as baptized by the 
 Apostles, there is no express mention of 
 any infants/' Hist. Inf. Bap., Intro., pp. 
 1,65. 
 
 Thomas Fuller, the historian, says : 
 "We do freely confess there is neither ex- 
 press precepts nor precedent in the New 
 Testament for the Baptism of Infants/' 
 Infant* Advoc, pp. 71, 160. 
 
 Luther says : " It cannot be proved by 
 the sacred Scriptures that infant baptism was 
 instituted by Christ, or begun by th© fir^ 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 131 
 
 Christians after the Apostles. Vanity of 
 Inf. Bap., Part II., p. 8. 
 
 Neander says : " Baptism was adminis- 
 tered at first only to adults, as men were 
 accustomed to conceive of baptism and faith 
 as strictly connected. We have all reason 
 for not deriving infant baptism from apos- 
 xolic instltution. ,, Ch. Hist., Vol. /., p. 311 ; 
 Plant, and. Train, Vol I., p. %22. 
 
 Prof. Lange says: "All attempts to 
 make out infant baptism from the New 
 Testament fail. It is totally opposed to the 
 spirit of the apostolic age, and to the funda- 
 mental principles of the New Testament." 
 Inf. Baptism, p. 101. 
 
 Prof. Jaoobi says: "Infant baptism 
 was established neither bv Christ, nor by 
 the Apostles." AH. Bap. Kvao'a Oycl Bib. 
 Lit. 
 
 Dr. BLanna says : " Scripture knows 
 nothing of the baptism of infants." North 
 Brit. Review. Aug., 18SS. 
 
 Prof. Hagenbach says : " The passages 
 from Scripture cited in favor of infant bap- 
 tism as a usnage of the primitive church are 
 doubtful, and prove nothing." Hist. I**L, 
 pp. 190, 193. 
 
 Bishop Burnett, Baxter, Good -in, 
 
132 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 Limborch, Celarius, Field, and many others 
 bear similar testimony. 
 
 WHEN DIB IT RISE? 
 
 Since the New Testament knows nothing 
 of infant baptism, and since it was neither 
 instituted by Christ, nor practiced by his 
 Apostles, what was its origin, and when did 
 it come into use ? 
 
 Tertullian is the first who mentions 
 the custom, and he opposes it. This was at 
 the close of the second century, or about a. d. 
 200. His opposition to it proves two thi ngs : 
 First, that it was in occasional use, at least. 
 Second, that it was of recent origin, since 
 had it been long used some earlier record of 
 it could be found. Neander, Ch. Hist, 
 Vol. L, p. 311. 
 
 Bingham could find no earlier allusion 
 to it than that of Tertullian, though he be- 
 lieved it arose earlier. It must, therefore, 
 as is generally agreed, have had its origin 
 about the beginning of the third century. 
 
 Curcelljeus says : " The baptism of in- 
 fants in the two first centuries after Christ 
 was altogether unknown ; but in the third 
 and fourth was allowed by some few. In 
 the fifth and following ages it was generally 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES, 133 
 
 received." Inst. Christ. Religion, B. I. f 
 Ch. 12. 
 
 Sajlmasius says : " In the first two cen- 
 turies no one was baptized, except, being 
 instructed in the faith and acquainted with 
 the doctrines of Christ, he was able to pro- 
 fess himself a believer." Hist. Bapt. Suicer. 
 Thesawr., Vol IL, p. 1136. 
 
 Such testimony is conclusive, and quite 
 sufficient, though much more of a similar 
 character might be added. 
 
 Bvi observe : That when the baptism of 
 children began, it was not that of uncon- 
 scious infants at all, as is now practiced, but, 
 as Bunsen declares, of " little growing chil- 
 dren, from six to ten years old." And he 
 asserts that Tertullian "does not say one 
 word of new-born infants." Cyprian, an 
 African bishop, at the close of the third cen- 
 tury, urged the baptism of infants proper, 
 because of the saving efficacy of the ordi- 
 nance ; and he is called the inventor, or 
 father, of infant baptism. BvmsevUs Hxppol 
 and His Age, Vol. III. , pp. 19%-6. 
 
 WHY DID IT RI8E? 
 
 There is even less difficulty in tracing the 
 cause than in finding the origin of infant 
 12 
 
184 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 baptism. It originated in a perversion of 
 Christian doctrine, and was itself the per- 
 version of a Christian ordinance. 
 
 All students of ecclesiastical history know 
 that at an early period corruptions per- 
 verted Christian faith and practice. Among 
 these, one of the earliest was that of an 
 undue efficacy attributed to baptism. Its 
 sanctity wms so exalted that it was believed 
 to have power to wash away sins, and 
 cleanse the soul for heaven. By it the sick 
 were supposed to be prepared for death, 
 and salvation made more certain by its effi- 
 cacy. Anxious parents therefore desired 
 their dying children to be thus prepared — 
 " washed in the laver of regeneration," as 
 it was termed — that they might be sure of 
 salvation. And here came in that perni- 
 cious error of " baptismal regeneration," 
 which gave rise to infant baptism, and 
 which has through all these ages clung with 
 more or less pertinacity to the clergy and 
 laity of all churches which have practiced 
 it. 
 
 Salmasius says : " An opinion prevailed 
 that no one could be saved without being 
 baptized; and for that reason the custom 
 arose of baptizing infants." Epid. Ju%. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 135 
 
 Pae. See Booth's Pedo. Exam., Ch. III., 
 Sec. 3. 
 
 Vekema declares that " the anciente con- 
 nected a regenerating power with baptism." 
 He cites Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clemens, 
 Tertullian, and Cyprian as holding that 
 opinion. Eccl. Hist., Vol. If., p. 3, Sees. 2, 
 
 3,k 
 
 Chkysostom, writing about a. d. 398, as 
 cited by Suicerus, says : " It is impossible 
 without baptism to obtain the kingdom," 
 and as cited by Wall he says : " If sudden 
 death seize us before we are baptized, though 
 we have a thousand good qualities, there is 
 nothing to be expected but hell." Suicer., 
 Thesaur. Eccl., Vol. I., p. 3. 
 
 Waddington, in his Church History, 
 says, in reference to the third century : " A 
 belief was gaining ground among the con- 
 verts, and was inculcated among the hea- 
 then, that the act of baptism gave remission 
 of all sins committed previously." Hist. 
 of Chwrch, Ch. II, p. S3. 
 
 Prof. Fisher says: "Very early baptism 
 was so far identified with regeneration as 
 to be designated by that term. This rite 
 was considered essential to salvation. A 
 virtue was believed to reside in the bap- 
 
136 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 tismal water itself." Hist. Christ. Ch. f p. 
 83. 
 
 Do its advocates and supporters hold the 
 same view now ? Do parents and ministers 
 still believe that the baptism of unconscious 
 infants secures, or makes more sure, their 
 salvation ? If not, why do they practice it ? 
 
 Prof. Lange's words are weighty, and 
 should be carefully pondered by Protestant 
 defenders of this Papal emanation. He 
 says : " Would the Protestant Church fulfill 
 and attain to its final destiny, the baptism 
 of new-born children must of necessity be 
 abolished. It has sunk down to a mere for- 
 mality, without any meaning for the child." 
 History of Protestantism, p. S %. 
 
 Many good people, familiar with infant 
 baptism and surrounded by its influences, 
 have naturally learned to reverence it as of 
 divine appointment, and some of them 
 really believe it is taught or sanctioned by 
 the New Testament. But Baptists are right 
 in rejecting it as something utterly without 
 foundation in the word of God. 
 
 HOUSEHOLD BAPTISMS. 
 
 Much stress is laid by some of the advo- 
 cates of infant baptism on the fact that in 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 137 
 
 the Acts of the apostles several cases of 
 household baptism are mentioned. And it 
 is asked with an air of assurance : " If en- 
 tire households were baptized, must there 
 not have been children among them ? And 
 were they not baptized also ? n To this it 
 is sufficient to reply, that nothing is said of 
 children, and we have no right to put into 
 the Scriptures what we do not find in them. 
 All inference that such households contained 
 infants, and that such infants were baptized, 
 is the purest fiction in the world. If Chris- 
 tian institutions could be built on so slight a 
 foundation as that, we could bring in all 
 the mummeries of the Greek or the Roman 
 Church, and all the ceremonies of the Mo- 
 saic ritual. 
 
 One thing is certain : if in those house- 
 holds any children were baptized, they were 
 old enough to receive the gospel and to be- 
 lieve on Christ, and were thus suitable sub- 
 jects for the ordinance, and for church fel- 
 lowship. For it is said, " They believed, and 
 gladly received the word. 17 There are thou- 
 sands of Baptist churches into whose fellow- 
 ship whole households have been baptized — 
 parents and children, and perhaps others 
 connected with them. But all were old 
 12* 
 
1S& STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 enough to believe and to make profession of 
 their faith. So evidently it was in these 
 households. 
 
 The more prominent of these households 
 are that of Lydia, mentioned in Acts 16 ; 
 that of the Philippian jailer, mentioned also 
 in Acts 16 ; and that of Stephanas, men- 
 tioned in 1 Cor. 1. Now note what a few 
 distinguished Pedobaptist scholars say of 
 these cases. 
 
 Dr. Neander says : " We cannot prove 
 that the Apostles ordained infant baptism ; 
 from those places where the baptism of a 
 whole family is mentioned, we can draw no 
 such conclusion." Planting and Training, 
 p. 162, N. F. Ed., 1866. 
 
 Prof. Jacobi says : " In none of these 
 instances has it been proved that there were 
 little children among them." Kxttds Bib. 
 Oyc, Art. Bap. 
 
 Dr. Meyer says : " That the baptism of 
 children was not in use at that time appears 
 evident from 1 Cor. 7 : 14." Comment, on 
 Ads 16 : 16. 
 
 Dr. De Wette says : " This passage has 
 been adduced in proof of the apostolical 
 authority of infant baptism ; but there is 
 no proof here that any except adults were 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 139 
 
 v 
 
 baptized." Com. New Test., Ads 16: 
 16. 
 
 Dr. Olshauses says : " There is alto- 
 gether wanting any conclusive proof text 
 for the baptism of infants in the age of the 
 Apostles." Com. on Acts 16 : 15. 
 
 Bishop Bloomfield says of the jailer : 
 " It is taken for granted that his family 
 became Christians as well as himself." 
 Com. on Acts 16: 31. 
 
 Calvin, Doddridge, Henry, and other 
 commentators declare that in this case the 
 household all believed, and therefore were 
 baptized and did rejoice. MacKnight con- 
 siders the case of the household of Stephanas 
 as giving no countenance to the baptism of 
 infants. And with him agree Guise, Ham- 
 mond, Doddridge, and others. 
 
 As to the argument used by some, that 
 baptism came in the place of circumcision, 
 it is too weak and puerile, too far fetched 
 and destitute of reason, to claim the serious 
 regard of intelligent and candid minds. 
 
140 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 CHAPTER XIIL 
 
 CHUBCH GOVERNMENT. 
 
 A Christian church is a society with a 
 corporate life, organized on some definite 
 plan, adapted to some definite purpose, which 
 it proposes to accomplish. It has, therefore, 
 its officers and ordinances, its laws and regu- 
 lations, fitted to administer its government 
 and carry out its purposes. The question 
 then arises, What is the true and proper 
 form of church organization and govern- 
 ment ? We do not care to inquire as to the 
 various and contradictory forms, as we see 
 them about us in the different denomina- 
 tions, but what was the organic form and 
 government of the first churches, planted 
 by and moulded under the hands of Christ'g 
 inspired apostles. 
 
 There are three special and widely differ- 
 ent forms of church government which havf 
 fained prevalence in Christian communities 
 uring past ages, and which are still main 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 14i 
 
 fcained with varied success, each of which 
 claims to have been the original primitive 
 form : 
 
 1. The prelatical, in which the governing 
 power resides in prelates, or diocesan bish- 
 ops, and the higher clergy ; as in the Roman, 
 Greek, English, and most Oriental churches. 
 
 2. The presbyterian, in which the govern- 
 ing power resides in assemblies, synods, pres- 
 byteries, and sessions ; as in the Scottish 
 Kirk, the Lutheran, and the various Pres- 
 byterian churches. 
 
 3. The independent, in which the body 
 is self-governing, each single and local 
 church administering its own government 
 by the voice of the majority of its mem- 
 bers ; as among Baptists, Congregational- 
 ists, independents, and some other bodies. 
 
 Now which of these modes of church 
 life and administration is taught in the New 
 Testament, if either ? or which best accord? 
 with the constitution and government of the 
 apostolic churches ? 
 
 Baptists hold that each separate, local 
 church is an independent body, governing 
 itself according to the laws of Christ, as 
 found in the New Testament. That each 
 inch church is independent of all other 
 
142 STANDARD MAFCAL 
 
 churches, and of all other persons, so far 
 as administration is concerned, owing comity 
 and fellowship to all, but allegiance and 
 submission to none. The government is 
 administered by the body of the members, 
 *vhere no one possesses a pre-eminence of 
 mthority, but each enjoys an equality of 
 rights, and in which, in matters of opinion, 
 ■;he majority decides. 
 
 That this style of churoh structure is 
 according to the New Testament appears 
 evident from a study of the sacred records 
 themselves. The apostles treated the 
 churches as independent bodies. Their 
 epistles were addressed to the churches 
 as such ; they reported th«ir doings to 
 them ; enjoined upon them the duty of 
 discipline ; exhorted, instru'^ted, and re- 
 proved them as independent and responsible 
 bodies. They recognized the right of the 
 churches to elect their own teachers and 
 officers, a primary and fundamental right, 
 which, when conceded, supposes all other 
 rights and powers necessary to a self-gov- 
 erning community acting under divinely 
 given laws. 
 
 Neander, the distinguished historian* says 
 of the first age: "The churches w«ra ta ^ght 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHUBCHE8. 143 
 
 to govern themselves." '* The brethren 
 chose their own officers from among them- 
 selves." " In respect to the election of 
 church officers, the ancient principle was 
 still adhered to: that the consent of the 
 community was necessary to the validity of 
 every such election, and each one was at 
 liberty to offer reasons against it." Introd. 
 Coleman's Prim. Christ y, p 19; Ch. Hist., 
 Vol. I., p. 199; Plant and Train., p. 166. 
 
 Mosheim says of the first century : " In 
 those primitive times, each Christian Church 
 was composed of the people, the presiding 
 officers, and the assistants, or deacoiu. These 
 must be the component parts of every so- 
 ciety. The principal voice was that of the 
 people, or of the whole body of Christians." 
 " The assembled people, therefore, elected 
 their own rulers ana teachers." Of the 
 second century, he adds : " One president, 
 or bishop, presides over each church. He 
 was created by the common suirrages of the 
 people." " During a great part of this cen- 
 tury, all the churches continued to be, as at 
 first, independent of each other. Each church 
 was a kind of small, independent republic, 
 governing itself by its own laws, enacted, oi 
 at least sanctioned, by the people." EocL 
 
144 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 fl«*., Cent. 1, Part i, Ch. 2, See. 5, 6; 
 Cent, g, Ch. 2, Sec. 1, 8. 
 
 Coleman says : " These churches, where 
 ever formed, became separate and independ- 
 ent bodies, competent to appoint their own 
 officers and administer their own govern- 
 ment without reference or subordination to 
 any control, authority, or foreign power. 
 No fact connected with the history of the 
 primitive church is more fully established 
 or more generally conceded." Prim. Christ 
 Exempt., Ch. 4, Sec. 4, p. 95. 
 
 Archbishop Whately, Dr. Barrow, 
 Dr. Burton, Dr. Waddington, — all of them 
 Church of England divines, — fully agree 
 with this testimony, and confirm the evi- 
 dence cited. 
 
 Geiselek, the historian, says, concerning 
 early changes : " Country churches, which 
 had grown up around some city, seem, with 
 their bishops, to have been usually, in a 
 certain degree, under the authority of the 
 mother church. With this exception, all the 
 churches were alike independent, though 
 some were especially held in honor, on such 
 grounds as their apostolic origin, or the im- 
 portance of the city in which they were 
 ■touted." Period 1, Div. 1, Ch. S, See. 58. 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. 146 
 
 situated." Period 1, Div. 1, Ch. 3, Sec. 
 62. 
 
 Farther discussion on this subject is not 
 needed. The point is proven, and the inde- 
 pendent form of church government is man- 
 ifestly primitive and apostolic, as advocated 
 and practiced by Baptists. 
 
146 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 CHURCH OFFICERS. 
 
 How many, and what are the Scripturaj 
 officers of a Christian church? For a 
 church, being a society, must have not only 
 laws, but officers to execute them. How 
 many orders are there in the ministry? 
 These are questions which have at times 
 greatly divided the Christian world. 
 
 Baptists assert that the officers of a church 
 are two, — and of right, can be no more, — 
 pastor and deacons. In this opinion agree 
 some other denominations, while the various 
 Episcopal sects insist that there should be 
 three sects — deacons, priests, and bishops, to 
 which the Church of England adds arch- 
 bishops. Others add to this number in- 
 definitely ; and the Romish Church carries 
 the list up to ten or twelve, ending with the 
 pope. Now it is not so much what this 
 church teaches or practices, but on wb*$ 
 basis were the primitive churches — tb« 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 147 
 
 churches of inspiration — organized. Qui 
 Lord did not live to shape, and model, and 
 put in order all things for the full equip- 
 ment of his people, that they might be 
 thoroughly furnished unto all good works, 
 but he did give to his apostles a spirit of 
 wisdom by which they should be able to do 
 all this, and carry out his plans, in the or- 
 ganization oi his kingdom after he had left 
 them. We assume that the first churches 
 were organized on the divine plan, and seek 
 to ascertain what that plan was. 
 
 In the New Testament, the words bishops 
 presbyter, elder are used to designate church 
 officers. They all, however, designate the 
 same office, and tnerefore officially mean the 
 same thing ; indeed, they are not unfre- 
 quently applied to the same individual. 
 The bishop — called also presbyter, or elder 
 — was the pastor, or overseer of the spiritual 
 flock, watching, guiding, and feeding it, as 
 the shepherd does his sheep. The deacons 
 were chosen to attend to the temporal inter- 
 ests of the church, as appears by the election 
 of the seven, recorded in the sixth chapter 
 of Acts. This was done in order that the 
 apostles might be free from the temporal 
 cares, and thus able to give their attention 
 
148 STANDARD MAJTUAIi 
 
 more exclusively to the spiritual welfare of 
 the people. The word deacon means a mirv- 
 ister, a servant. It is sometimes applied to 
 the apostles, and even to Christ himself, in 
 that general sense as one who " came, not to 
 be ministered unto, but to minister, and to 
 give his life a ransom for many." Some of 
 the first deacons were also efficient preachers 
 of the gospel, but their work as deacons 
 pertained to other service in the churches. 
 While, therefore, the deacon is a church 
 officer, his office does not constitute an order 
 in the ministry at all, its functions belong- 
 ing to temporal concerns, and not to a spir- 
 itual service. The service usually performed 
 by clerks, trustees, and the like, it may be 
 presumed, so far as such service was needed 
 in the first churches, was devolved on the 
 deacons. 
 
 Pastors, by whatever name they may 
 have been known, had the same service, 
 and were of the same grade, dignity, and 
 authority. In the first churches there were 
 no high orders of clergy placed over lower 
 grades, and over the churches ruling with 
 superior authority. All were equals among 
 equals, and all equally ministered to the 
 churches. If in the same church there 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 149 
 
 might chance to be several to whom the 
 titles bishop, presbyter, or elder were applied, 
 they were all of equal rank or authority, 
 though one might be selected to serve a# 
 the pastor of the church, and devote him 
 self to its local interests ; while the others 
 might give themselves to more general mis- 
 sionary work. 
 
 Neander says : " The word 'presbyter, or 
 elder, indicates rather the dignity ol the 
 office, since presbyters among the Jews were 
 usually aged and venerable ; while bishop, 
 or episoopos, designated the nature of their 
 work as overseers, or pastors of the churches. 
 The former title was used by Jewish Chris- 
 tians as a name familiar in the synagogue; 
 while the latter was chiefly used by the 
 Greek and other Gentile converts, as more 
 familiar and expressive to them." a They 
 were not designed to exercise absolute au- 
 thority, but to act as presiding officers and 
 guides of an ecclesiastical republic : to con- 
 duct all things, with the co-operation of the 
 communities, as their ministers, and not as 
 their masters." Introd. to Cole. Prim. Ch., 
 p. 20; Ch. Hist. Vol. 1., p. 18+; ^tcurd. 
 and Train., p. H7. 
 
 Mosheim says: "The rulers of tht 
 1* 
 
150 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 churches were denominated sometime* pres- 
 byters, or elders, a designation borrowed 
 from the Jews, and indicative rather of the 
 wisdom than the age of the persons, and 
 sometimes also bishops; for it is most mani- 
 fest that both terms are promiscuously used 
 in the New Testament of one and the same 
 class of persons." " In these primitive times, 
 each Christian church was composed of the 
 people, the presiding officers, and the assist- 
 ants, or deacons. These must be the com- 
 ponents of every society." EccL Hist., 
 Cent. 1, p. 2; Ch., 2, Sees. 6, 8. 
 
 Gieseler asserts: "The new churches 
 everywhere formed themselves on the model 
 of the mother church at Jerusalem. At the 
 head of each were the elders {presbyter, 
 bishop), all officially of equal rank, though 
 in several instances a peculiar authority 
 seems to have been conceded to some one 
 individual from personal considerations." 
 Ch. Hut., Part 1, Div. 1, Ch. 2, Sec. 29. 
 
 Waddington declares : " It is also true 
 that in the earliest government of the first 
 Christian society, — that of Jerusalem, — not 
 the elders only, but the 'whole church/ 
 were associated with the apostles ; and it is 
 even certain that the terms bishop and elder, 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 151 
 
 or presbyter , were in the first instance and 
 for a short period, sometime used synony- 
 mously, and indiscriminately applied to the 
 same order in the ministry." Hist. Christ, 
 Church, Ch. <2, Sec. 2. 
 
 Archbishop Usher says that " bishop 
 and presbyter differed only in degree, and 
 not in order." See Cole. Ano. Christ 
 Ezemp., Ch. 8, Sec. 6. 
 
 Bishop Burnett says: "As for the 
 notion of distinct offices of bishop and pres- 
 byter, I confess it is not so clear to me." 
 Vindie. Ch. of Sects, p. 366. 
 
 Dr. Coleman says : " It is generally ad- 
 mitted by Episcopal writers on this subject, 
 that in the New Testament, and in the 
 earliest ecclesiastical writings, the terms 
 bishops and presbyters, or elders, are synony- 
 mous, and denote one and the same office." 
 "The office of presbyter was undeniably 
 identical with that of bishop, as has been 
 shown above." " Only two orders of officers 
 are known in the church until the close of 
 the second century. Those of the first are 
 ityled either bishops or presbyters ; of the 
 second, deacons." Ano. Christ. Ezemp., Ch. 
 8, Sec. 6; Ch. 6, Sec. 5. 
 
 This author cites many of the early Chris- 
 
152 8TANDAKD MANUAL 
 
 tian Fathers who bore the same testimony, 
 among whom are Clement of Rome, Poly- 
 carp, Justin Martyr, Iren®us, Jerome, 
 Chrysostom, Theodoret, and others. Many 
 prelatical writers, besides these above quoted, 
 frankly admit the same facts. 
 
 The Apostle Paul, it is stated (Acts 20 : 
 17, 18), called together the elders (presby- 
 ters) of the Ephesian Church. But in verse 
 28 he calls these officers overseers (episco- 
 pous). Here the terms presbuteros and episco- 
 pos were certainly used interchangeably. 
 
 Paul and Timothy, in their address to 
 the Philippian Christians, specify three 
 classes as evidently constituting the entire 
 body of disciples. They say : " To all the 
 saints in Christ Jesus, which are at Philippi, 
 with the bishops and deacons." Saints, 
 bishops, and deacons embraced the whole 
 church. 
 
 Timothy was instructed by Paul as to 
 the qualifications of pastors to be placed 
 over the churched. (1 Tim. 3:1.) Par- 
 ticular directions are given as to both bishops 
 and deacons, but no mention is made of 
 elders — clearly because they were the same 
 as bishops. 
 
 Titus is likewise enjoined to secure pa#- 
 
FOB BAPTIST CHURCHES. 168 
 
 tors for the church in Crete. (Titus 1 : 6, 7.) 
 These pastors are called elders in verse 6 
 and bishops in verse 7. 
 
 Pastors and deacons, therefore, are two 
 orders, and these officers simply were known 
 or needed in the apostolic churches. In 
 this, also, the views held by Baptists are in 
 harmony with the customs of the churches 
 in the first and purest age of Christian his- 
 tory. 
 
154 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 BAPTIST HISTORY. 
 
 It is sometimes asked : " When and 
 where did the Baptists originate? Who 
 were their founders? What is their his- 
 tory?" These are questions of interest; 
 but a more important one would be : " Are 
 they right ? Is their faith according to the 
 teachings of the New Testament ? n Many 
 things which are old are not true. Creeds 
 and sects may boast a venerable antiquity, 
 while the word of God utterly condemns 
 them. Any organization that cannot rea- 
 sonably claim Christ for its founder has 
 small right to the name of a Christian 
 church, no matter how old it may be. 
 
 Baptists claim to be built on the founda- 
 tion of the apostles and prophets, Jesus 
 Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone. 
 If this claim be well founded, whether they 
 have a written history of one century or of 
 twenty, matters little. Yet whatever of the 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 155 
 
 past belongs to any, it may be well to know. 
 And Baptist history constitutes one of the 
 most interesting chapters in the records of 
 Christianity. 
 
 During the apostolic age even, the doc- 
 trines of the gospel became corrupted, and 
 its ordinances soon after. Both Jewish and 
 Gentile converts brought into the churches 
 many of their old religious notions, and 
 incorporated them with the faith of Christ. 
 These, together with the many philosophical 
 ideas of the times and the perversions to 
 which the truth is always exposed from the 
 ignorance and selfishness of men, very early 
 turned the churches aside from the faith 
 once delivered to the saints. Still there 
 were many who in simplicity and humility 
 maintained the doctrines and customs in 
 their original purity. Those churches which 
 were strongest and most prosperous were 
 most exposed to corruption by alliances with 
 the world. 
 
 When at length the period of martyrdom 
 and persecution terminated ; when a nom- 
 inal Christianity took possession of a throne, 
 and Church and State became united, then 
 religion, in its prevailing forms, lost its sim- 
 plicity, its spirituality, and its power, and a 
 
156 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 temporal hierarchy took the place of the 
 church of Christ. This was the great apos- 
 tasy of the early times. But all the churches 
 and all disciples did not follow in the wake 
 of this sad departure from the truth. Many 
 congregations and communities of true wor- 
 shipers kept the doctrines of the gospel, and 
 practiced its ordinances, nearly, or quite, in 
 their primitive purity. And this they con- 
 tinued to do through all the ages of dark- 
 ness and corruption which followed. They 
 were never identified with the Roman or 
 Greek churches ; they never were in alliance 
 with States ; never formed hierarchies. As 
 independent congregations, or small commu- 
 nities, with no other bond of union than a 
 common faith, fellowship, and sympathy, 
 often obscure and unobtrusive, taking the 
 word of God as their guide, they sought to 
 realize the idea, not of a temporal, but a 
 spiritual kingdom in the gospel dispensa- 
 tion. 
 
 These religious communities were by the 
 dominant hierarchies called secto, and stig- 
 matized as heretic*. As such they were 
 traduced and persecuted continuallv And 
 though they may have had their errors 
 they were the best and purest defenders o* 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 157 
 
 the Christian faith, and the truest representa- 
 tives of the first disciples of Christ then 
 existing. The State churches were the 
 heretics ; while those so-called sects were the 
 true successors of the first Christians. 
 
 They were defamed and oppressed. Ca- 
 lumniated and martyred because they bore 
 witness to the truth of God and testified 
 against the errors and vices of the so-called 
 churches. History has never done them 
 justice, and perhaps never will; because 
 history has been too much written in the 
 interest of their enemies, or from their 
 standpoint. Tortured and tormented by 
 those who should have been their defenders, 
 crowns and mitres alike pledged to their 
 destruction, they could do nothing but 
 suffer. And this they nobly did as Christ's 
 faithful witnesses. They were known by 
 various names in different ages and in dif- 
 ferent lands, but retained the same general 
 characteristics. 
 
 In the first and second centuries, Messa- 
 lians, Montanists, Euchites, were terms 
 which distinguished some of these sects. 
 
 In the third, fourth and fifth centuries 
 arose the Novatians. Increasing with ex- 
 ceeding rapidity, they quite overspread the 
 
 14 
 
168 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 Roman empire, in spite of the cruel and 
 destructive persecutions which they suffered. 
 
 In the fourth century the Donatists ap- 
 peared, as a new form of existing sects, or 
 a new phase of the old faith. They multi- 
 plied rapidly, spread extensively, and long 
 survived. 
 
 In the seventh century appeared the Pauli- 
 eians, attracting much attention, and calling 
 down upon themselves the wrath of the 
 Romish Church. Still they increased 
 greatly, notwithstanding their many perse- 
 cutions. 
 
 That these Christian communities should 
 have been faultless could not be supposed. 
 But they were the best of the ages in which 
 they lived, and maintained the purest forms 
 of gospel truth and practice. Without the 
 advantage of organization and association, 
 they differed somewhat among themselves. 
 
 But in general they all professed to take 
 the New Testament as the rule of their 
 faith and practice. They held to a spiritual 
 church membership, and received only pro- 
 fessedly regenerated persons to the ordi- 
 nances. Denying the orthodoxy of the 
 Romish Church, they re-baptized persons 
 received from that body, and hence were 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES, 1&9 
 
 called Anabaptist*. Infant baptism they 
 rejected, according to Allix, Mosheim, Rob- 
 inson, and other historians. Baptism they 
 administered by immersion, as indeed did 
 all Christians during those ages. Robinson 
 calls them "Trinitarian Baptists." It is 
 said that the Empress Theodora, aftei 
 having confiscated their property, caused to 
 be cruelly put to death no less than one 
 hundred thousand Pauiicians, for no other 
 feult or offense than their religious faith. 
 
 About the close of the tenth century ap- 
 peared the Paterines; substantially the 
 same people, no doubt, as had previously 
 existed under other names. They too re- 
 jected infant baptism, and protested against 
 the corruptions of the Romish Church ; in 
 consequence of which they suffered long 
 and severe persecutions. 
 
 In the eleventh century, and the ages fol- 
 lowing, were the Waldenses, Albigenses, 
 Yaudois, Cathari, and Poor Men of Lyons 
 These were new names, and names usually 
 given by their enemies. They increased. 
 even under their persecutions, to a won- 
 derful extent, and attracted the notice if not 
 the sympathy, of all Europe. 
 
 It is not pretended that these ancient 
 
160 8TJLXDARD MA2TOJLL 
 
 sects were known by name as Baptists ; bat 
 in general they held the more prominent 
 and distinctive principles which have always 
 characterized the Baptists ; thus : 1 . They 
 declared and defended the rights of faith 
 and conscience and the freedom of worship. 
 2. They denied the authority of popes and 
 the right of kings and States to interfere with 
 the people in matters of religion. 3. They 
 rejected infant baptism. 4. They baptized 
 by dipping. 5. They held the Bible to be 
 the only rale and authority in concerns of 
 religious faith and practice. 6. They ad- 
 mitted none to the churches except sach as 
 professed to be regenerated and godly per- 
 sons. 
 
 Now it is conceded by all historians of 
 note that such churches and communities 
 did exist, separate from and persecuted by, 
 the prevailing State churches and civil 
 authorities during all the ages from the 
 Apostles to the Reformation. 
 
 When the Reformation under Luther and 
 bis coadjntors broke out, these sects to a 
 £reat extent fraternized with, and were lost 
 in the multitude of the reformers. 8uch as 
 continued their separate existence, as the 
 Waldenses of Piedjnont, yielding to the in- 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 161 
 
 flue nee of the reformers, did from sympathy 
 what the persecutions of the Papist* had 
 never been able to compel them to do — 
 abandon dipping for sprinkling in baptism, 
 adopted infant baptism, and took the gen- 
 eral forms of religious life, into which P«- 
 -lobaptist Protestantism grew. 
 
 THE WELSH BAPTISTS. 
 
 Few denominations have a better claim 
 to antiquity than the Welsh Baptists. They 
 trace their descent directly from the Apostles, 
 and urge in favor of their claim arguments 
 which have never been confuted. 
 
 When Austin, the Romish monk and 
 missionary, visited Wales, at the close of 
 the sixth century, he found a community of 
 more than two thousand Christians, quietly 
 living in their mountain homes. They 
 were independent of the Romish See, and 
 wholly rejected its authority. Austin 
 labored hard to convert them — that is, to 
 bring them under the Papal yoke ; but en- 
 tirely failed in the effort. Yielding things 
 in general, he reduced his demand upon 
 them to three particulars. 1. That they 
 should observe Easter in due form, as or- 
 dered by the church. 2. That they should 
 
162 8TAKDABD manual 
 
 give Christendom, or baptism, to their chil- 
 dren. 3. That they should preach to the 
 English the word of God, as directed. 1 
 
 These demands of Austin prove that they 
 neither observed the Popish ordinance of 
 Easter, nor baptized their children. The) 
 however rejected all his overtures, where- 
 upon he left them with threats of war and 
 wretchedness. Not long after, Wales was 
 invaded by the Saxons, and many of these 
 inoffensive Christians cruelly murdered, as 
 was believed, at the instigation of this 
 bigoted zealot, the exacting Austin. 
 
 THE PUTCH BAPTISTS. 
 
 The Baptists of Holland have a history 
 that reaches back to a very remote period, 
 if not to the apostolic age, as some con- 
 fidently assert. And this antiquity is con- 
 ceded by historians who have no sympathy 
 with their denominational sentiments. 
 
 Mosheim, in his church history, says; 
 "The true origin of that sect which 
 acquired the name Anabaptist is hid in tht 
 remote depths of antiquity, and is conse- 
 quently extremely difficult to be ascer- 
 
 igee Benedicts Hist. Bap., p. 343, and authorities 
 there cited. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 16$ 
 
 tained." Eod. Hist. Vol IV., p. &7. 
 Mac. Ed., 1811. See Introd. Orchard** 
 Hist. Bap., p. 17. 
 
 Zwingle, the Swiss reformer, contempo- 
 rary with Luther, declares : " The institu- 
 of Anabaptism is no novelty, bnt for 
 thirteen hxmdred years has caused great dis- 
 turbance in the church." Introd, Orchard?& 
 Hist. Bap., p. 17. Thirteen hundred years 
 before his time would have carried it back 
 to within two centuries of the death of 
 Christ. 
 
 Dr. Dermont, chaplain to the king of 
 Holland, and Dr. Ypeij, professor of 
 theology at Groningen, a few years since 
 received a royal commission to prepare a 
 history of the Reformed Dutch Church. 
 That history, prepared under royal sanction, 
 and officially published, contains the follow- 
 ing manly and generous testimony to the 
 antiquity and orthodoxy of the Dutch Bap- 
 tists. " We have now seen that the Baptists, 
 who were formerly called Anabaptists, and 
 in later times Mennonites, were the original 
 Waldenses, and have long in the history of 
 the church received the honor of that origin. 
 On this account, the Baptists may be consid- 
 ered the only Christian community which has 
 
1$4 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 stood since the apostles, and as a Christian 
 society, which has preserved pure the doctrines 
 of the gospel through all agesP Hist. Bef. 
 Dutch Ch., Ed. Breda, 1819. See Ency. 
 Relig. Knowledge, Art. Ifennonites. 
 
 Mosheim says of the persecutions o/ this 
 people in the sixteenth century : " Vast 
 numbers of .these people, in nearly all the 
 countries of Europe, would rather perish 
 miserably by drowning, hanging, burning, 
 or decapitation, than renounce the opin- 
 ions they had embraced." And their 
 innocency he vindicates thus : " It is 
 indeed true that many Anabaptists were 
 put to death, not as being bad citizens, 
 or injurious members of civil society, 
 but as being incurable heretics, who were 
 condemned by the old canon laws, For 
 the error of adult baptism was in that 
 age looked upon as a horrible offence." 
 That was their only crime. Eccl. Hist, 
 Cent. 16, Sec. S, part 0, Ch. III. Fallens 
 Ch But., B. i. 
 
 This testimony is all the more welcome, 
 because it comes from those who have no 
 ecclesiastical sympathies with Baptists, but 
 who, in fidelity to history, bear honest testi- 
 uony to the truth which history teaches. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES. 166 
 
 The circumstances under which theii evi- 
 dence was produced give it additional 
 force. 
 
 Cardinal Hossius, chairman of the 
 oouncil at Trent, says : " If the truth of 
 religion were to be judged of by the readi- 
 ness and cheerfulness which a man of any 
 sect shows in suffering, then the opinions 
 and persuasions of no sect can be truer or 
 surer, than those of the Anabaptists; since 
 there have been none, for these twelve hun- 
 dred years past, that have been more griev- 
 ously punished." Orchard's Hist. Bap., 
 Sec. 12, part SO, p. 364. 
 
 Many thousands of the Dutch Baptists, 
 called Anabaptists, and Mennonists, miser- 
 ably perished by the hands of their cruel 
 persecutors, for no crime but their refusal 
 to conform to established churches^ 1 
 
 THE ENGLISH BAPTISTS. 
 
 At what time the Baptists appeared in 
 England in definite denominational form, it 
 is impossible to say. But from the twelfth 
 to the seventeenth century, many of them 
 
 'Benedict's Hist. Baptists, Ch. IV. NeaTs Hist 
 Puritans. Vol. II., p. 855. Supplement Fuller's Cfc 
 Hist., B. 4. 
 
166 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 suffered cruel persecutions, and death by 
 burning, drowning, and beheading, besides 
 many other, and sometimes most inhuman 
 tortures. And this they suffered both from 
 Papists and Protestants, condemned by both 
 civil and ecclesiastical tribunals, only because 
 they persisted in worshiping God according 
 to the dictates of their consciences, and be- 
 cause they would not submit their religious 
 faith and worship to the dictates of popes 
 and princes. 1 In 1538, royal edicts were 
 issued against them, and several were burnt 
 at the stake in Smithfield. 
 
 Brajstde writes that : " In the year 1538, 
 thirty-one Baptists, that fled from England, 
 were put to death at Delft, in Holland ; the 
 men were beheaded, and the women were 
 drowned. " Hkt. Reformers. See Bene- 
 dict } s Hut Bap., p. SOS. NeaVs Hist. Puri- 
 tans, Vol. I, p. 138. Note, Vol. II., p. S65, 
 8up. What crime had they committed to 
 merit such treatment as this ? 
 
 Bishop Latimer declares that: "The 
 Baptists that were burnt in different parts 
 of the kingdom went to death intrepidly, and 
 without any fear, during the time of Henry 
 
 1 See Histories of Baptists, by Crosby, Irimey, D*n- 
 ▼ore, and Benedict. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHUBCHE8. 167 
 
 VIII." Lent Sermons. NeaF 8 Hut Purity 
 Vol II, p. 366. 
 
 Under the rule of the Popish Mary, they 
 suffered perhaps no more than under that of 
 the Protestant Elizabeth. During the reign 
 of the latter a congregation of Baptists was 
 discovered in London, whereupon several 
 were banished, twenty-seven imprisoned, 
 and two burnt at Smithfield. 1 
 
 Dr. Featley, one of their bitter ene- 
 mies, wrote of them, in 1 633 : " This sect, 
 among others, hath so far presumed upon 
 the patience of the State, that it hath held 
 weekly conventicles, rebaptizing hundreds 
 of men and women together in the twilight, 
 in rivulets, and in some arms of the Thames, 
 and elsewhere, dipping them all over head 
 and ears. It hath printed divers pamphlets 
 in defence of their heresy ; yea, and chal- 
 lenged some of our preachers to disputation." 
 Eng. Bapt. Jubilee Memor., Benedict* Hist 
 Bapt.,p.30^. 
 
 Bailey wrote, in 1639, that: "Under 
 the shadow of independency they have lifted 
 up their heads, and increased their numbers 
 above all sects in the land. They have 
 
 xWall, cited by Neal, Hist. Puiltar*, Vol. L, p. 
 187. Vol. II., p. 358, Supplement. 
 
168 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 forty-six churches in and about Ijondon. 
 They are a people very fond of religious 
 liberty, and very unwilling to be brought 
 under bondage of the judgment of others." 
 Benedicts History, p. 804. 
 
 The first book published in the English 
 language on the subject of baptism was 
 translated from the Dutch, and bears date 
 1618. From this time they multiplied 
 rapidly through all parts of the kingdom. 
 The first regularly organized church among 
 them, known as such in England, dates 
 from 1607, and was formed in London by 
 & Mr. Smyth, previously a clergyman of 
 the established church. 
 
 In 1689, the Particular Baptists, so called, 
 held a convention in London, in which more 
 than one hundred congregations were repre- 
 sented, and which issued a confession of 
 faith, still in use and highly esteemed. 
 
 The last Baptist martyr in England was 
 Edward Wightman, of Burton upon Trent, 
 condemned by the Bishop of Coventry, and 
 burnt at Litchfield, April 11, 1612. 1 
 
 AMERICAN BAPTISTS. 
 
 The history of American Baptists runs 
 
 1 Sng. Bap. Jubilee Memor., Benedict's Hlat. Bap. 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHURCHES, 169 
 
 back a little more than two and a quarter 
 centuries. In this country, as elsewhere, 
 they were cradled amidst persecution, and 
 nurtured by the hatred of their foes. This 
 has been their fortune in every age, and in 
 every land. 
 
 Rogeb Williams, a distinguished and 
 an honored name, was identified with the 
 rise of the denomination in America. He 
 has been called their founder, because he or- 
 ganized the first church, and was intimately 
 connected with their early history. Wil- 
 liams was born in Wales, 1598, educated at 
 Oxford, England, came to America in 1630, 
 and settled as minister of the Puritan church 
 in Salem, Massachusetts. Not long after he 
 adopted Baptist views of doctrine and church 
 order, on account of which he was banished 
 by his fellow Puritans, and driven out of 
 Massachusetts, in the depths of a rigorous 
 winter, in a new and inhospitable countrv. 
 Having wandered far and suffered much, 
 finding the savage Indians more generous 
 and hospitable than his fellow Christians, 
 he finally reached and fixed his future home 
 at what is now Providence, R. I. Here, 
 with a few associates of like faith, he founded 
 a new colony, calling both the city and the 
 16 
 
170 STANDARD MANUAL 
 
 colony Providence, in recognition of the 
 divine guidance and protection, which he 
 had in so remarkable a manner experienced. 
 
 In 1639, Mr. Williams received baptism 
 from one of his associates, there being no 
 minister to perform that service. He in 
 torn baptized his associates, and a church 
 was organized, of which he was chosen 
 pastor. He was also appointed first Gov- 
 ernor of Rhode Island. Full liberty was 
 granted in matters of religion. Thus Roger 
 Williams became the first ruler, and Rhode 
 Island the first State which ever gave entire 
 freedom to all persons to worship God, 
 according to their own choice, without dic- 
 tation or interference from civil or ecclesi- 
 astical authorities. 
 
 On account of this unrestricted liberty 
 many Baptists, as well as other persecuted 
 religionists from other colonies, and from 
 Europe, collected in considerable numbers 
 at Providence, and spread through the 
 colony. 
 
 It is a mistake to suppose that all the 
 Baptist churches in America grew out of the 
 one which Roger Williams founded, It is 
 even doubtful whether any single church 
 arose as an outgrowth of that As immi 
 
FOE BAPTIST CHURCHES. 171 
 
 Eatioa increased, other churches grew up, 
 ving no connection with that ; and with 
 considerable rapidity the sentiments of Bap- 
 tists spread into adjoining colonies, particu- 
 larly west and south. For a long time, 
 bowever, they were sorely persecuted, espe- 
 cially in Massachusetts and Connecticut 
 Persecuted even by those who had them- 
 selves fled from persecution in their native 
 land, to find freedom and refuge in these 
 distant wilds. 
 
 In 1644, the present First Church in 
 Newport, R. I., was organized. But 
 whether the present First Church in Provi- 
 dence was constituted before this date is 
 still a disputed point. Both claim priority. 
 In 1656, the Second Church, Newport, was 
 formed. Then followed in order of time, 
 the church in Swansea, Massachusetts, 
 1663; First, Boston, 1665; North King- 
 stone, It. I., 1666 ; Seventh Day Church, 
 Newport, 1671 ; South Kingstone, R. I., 
 1680; Kittery, Me., 1682; Middletown, 
 N. J., 1688 ; Lower Dublin, Pa., 1689 ; 
 Charleston, S. C, 1690 ; Philadelphia, Pa., 
 1698 ; Welsh Tract, Del . 1701 ; proton, 
 Ct., 1705. Others, not mentioned, arose 
 within this period in these and other Colo- 
 
172 8TANDJLRD MAKT7AL 
 
 nies. With the increase of population, 
 Baptists rapidly increased and widely spread 
 over the country. 
 
 Edward?* Tables gives the number of 
 American Baptist Churches in 1768, as 
 only 137. 
 
 Asplund's Register for 1790, reported 
 872 churches, 722 ordained ministers, with 
 64,975 members. 
 
 Benedict's History states that in 1812, 
 there were 2,633 churches, 2,143 ordained 
 ministers, and 204,185 members. 
 
 Allen's Register for 1836, puts them at 
 7,299 churches, 4,075 ordained ministers, 
 and 517,523 members. 
 
 The Baptist Year Book gives the follow- 
 ing figures : 
 
 Dste. Churchea. . Miniitan. Mciaben. 
 
 1840 7,771 6,208 571,291 
 
 1860 12,279 7,773 1,016,134 
 
 1880 26,080 16,569 2,296,327 
 
 1890 33,588 21,175 3,070,047 
 
 The Year Book gives the Sunday-school 
 statistics for 1890, as follows: For United 
 States — Schools, 17,696 ; officers and teach- 
 ers, 132,186 j pupils, 1,211,698. 
 
 It must be borne in mind that the figures 
 given in all these cases are less than the 
 
FOR BAPTIST CHUBCHES. 173 
 
 actual facts would warrant, since full report* 
 from associations, churches, and schools can 
 never be obtained. 
 
 OTHEK BAPTISTS. 
 
 Besides the regular Baptist brotherhood, 
 there are in the United States more than a 
 milium of other and smaller denominations, 
 which practice immersion, but are not in 
 fellowship with, nor reckoned as a part of 
 the great Baptist family. 
 
 The Seventh Day Baptists, so-called on 
 account of their observing Saturday, or the 
 seventh day of the week, as their Sabbath, 
 on the ground that the Jewish Sabbath was 
 never abrogated. They are estimated at 
 about 9,000. 
 
 The Free Will Baptists, who take their 
 name from their views of the freedom of 
 the human will. They practice open com- 
 munion. Their number is about 114,700. 
 
 The Six Principle Baptists, thus desig- 
 nated because their doctrinal confession is 
 based on the six points mentioned in Heb. 
 6 : 1, 2. Estimated at 1,450. 
 
 The Anti-Mission Baptists, called also 
 Old Baptists, and Ironsides ; found chiefly 
 in the southwest. They do not favor mis- 
 
174 STANDARD MANUAL. 
 
 nous, Sunday-schools, or other religions or 
 moral reform movements) lest they should 
 seem to interfere with the divine decree*. 
 They are Antinomian in doctrine, and are 
 said to number 45,000. 
 
 The Campbellites, Disciples, Reformers, 
 or Christians, as they are variously called, 
 estimated at 850,000. 
 
 The Winebrennorians, or Church of God 
 Estimated at about 30,000. 
 
 The Tunkers, or Dunkards, at 100,000 ; 
 and the United Brethren at 200,000. 
 
 BAPTISTS ELSEWHERE. 
 
 In North America, aside from the 
 United States, but including Canada, New 
 Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Jamaica, and 
 Cuba, about 140,000. 
 
 In Europe, including England, Scotland, 
 Wales, Germany, and Sweden, about 
 405,000. 
 
 In Asia, including Burmah, and India, 
 About 76,000. 
 
 In Australia, about 15,000. 
 
 In Africa, about 3,000. 
 
 THE EEB. 
 
Date Due 
 
 
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 JUIH 
 
 ^HflUfy 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 © 
 
 PRINTED 
 
 IN U. S. A.