For Primitve Baptists

Bro. James I guess it does depend on what side of the fence you are on... Brother Jeff probably knows the answer but would you look at this picture I found on a meeting of Hardshall preachers in Fulton Kentucky in the year 1900! ... Brother Glen Of The Primitive Baptist Brethren ... Smile and say cheese... Okay don't smile

http://www.primitivebaptist.org/photoarchive/ky/fulton.asp

[ December 20, 2002, 02:41 AM: Message edited by: tyndale1946 ]

 

Bro. James

Which split are you referring to? THere have been more than one.

Jeff.

 

Dear Brother Glen,

Judging from the picture I would say the split was definitely concerning the question:

To shave or not to shave?



HankD

[ December 20, 2002, 11:04 AM: Message edited by: HankD ]

 

There are so many factions. It is sometimes hard to understand lines of fellowship. One, the Old-Liners are splitting. This can be read about at the Primitive Baptist Library's (Carthage, Ill.) website. There are many on both sides and many issues involved, ie. evangelism, bible studies, universalism, and on and on. Also, at the current time, some Old Schoolers are dropping the Primitive name, and simply want to be known as the "Old School Baptist Church". Within the Primitive ranks there are the Old-Liners (the largest group, generally limited predestinarians, sometimes called universalists, but not actually true), the Old Schoolers (who identify with Gilbert Beebe, the Signs of the Times, etc. who believe in the absolute predestination of all things), the Moderates, the Progressives (who sometimes have Bible Study, choirs, youth meetings, etc.), and many Independents (who may fit in any category or mixture of categories). The most notable thing is the split within the Old-Liner ranks and the numbers involved. I am curious what the new group will be called, not necessarily what they are being called.

 

HankD... Shame on those brethren I guess they ignored Isaiah 7:20... What do you think?... Brother Glen Of The Primitive Baptist Brethren

 

Lone Pilgrim it seems you know more about our brethren that most of our brethren don't know about... Then again there are denominational splits in any group when men become followers of preachers instead of folowers of the Lord and his doctrine.

I feel and any of you other brethren can correct me if I'm wrong... That the biggest split among PB in this part of the country is taking in excluded members... Instead of a brother apologizing to the church he offended or the member he offended by gospel means they join another church and the other church takes them in acussing not the brother that offended but the church that excluded them. The pastor of the church should have not accepted the excluded member in his congregation but he does which further complicates the problem with his fellow yoke fellows... Did I explain that to all PBs understanding and others? That problem split 22 church into for 30 years... Each group going their own separate ways and I guess you can say we were wandering in the desert... Not allowed to fellowship those on the other side although we believed the same thing. That is one split I personally witnessed at the age of around eighteen and just now the churches are getting back together after all this time.

You may ask yourself what happened to bring them together?... Most on both sides of the fence died and their children decided both sides were in error and started from there... And all 22 churches came back together and are fellowshipping again!... What do you make of that?... Brother Glen Of The Primitive Baptist Brethren

 

Dear Brother Glenn, It's just that down through the years I've had friends in a number of factions. Sometimes I forget ( I seem to be doing that more) when someone is not fellowshipping someone else. The Lord has led me to identify with Primitive Baptist Doctrine and has for about thirty years. We just bought eighty hymnbooks from the Cayces and now I read where they are not being fellowshipped either. I know it's my fault, but I just can't keep up with who's who most of the time. Because I've seen many of your posts I remember that you are Old Line, but with others, I may not remember, or not know what perspective/faction they hold to. Please forgive me if I mis-state. I often need correction. May the Lord give us understanding. LP

 

Dear Brother Glen,

RE: Isaiah 7:20.

Yes, although 2 or 3 appear clean shaven.
Lots of middle-of-the-roaders however with mustaches.



HankD

[ December 20, 2002, 04:55 PM: Message edited by: HankD ]

 

James, if you can find a book called The Contest by W. M. Smoot, you will read some very interesting happenings from the 1850 & 1880 divisions. The findings of the Bonham and Fort Worth councils give some insight into the split over absolute predestination (at least in Texas in 1902). A number of splits occurred later.

To read the Bonham council, just scroll down the Red River Association page until you see "The Findings of the Bonham Council."

 

Bro. James

I cannot answer your question. We are out here in the mountains of central Appalachia, and the divisions elsewhere had little/no influence here. Course we had our own divisions, mostly now healed. In 1924 we had a division over universal salvation for all mankind, the so-called "no-heller" division, which still exists. There was a 1928 division over absoulte predestination of all things, which is begining to heal. But now up comes the impending division over the situation in the Phillipines. You all may get mad at me, but the biggest problem PB's have is themselves. Bro. James to get the answer to your question, you are going to have to find someone in your area to explain it to. Even if I had a clue, it would no doubt be clouded with distance, rumour and time. Good luck in your search.
Jeff.

 

I am a bit perplexed right now as to the Primitive Baptists and the Old School Predestinarian Baptists. So I want to make a question. Can any tell me which of the Primitive Baptists and Predestinarian Baptists hold to or agree with elder Wilson Thompson's teachings on the Godhead and regarding the person of Jesus Christ as he set forth in his "Triumphs of Truth"? Can any tell who they were that opposed that book and the previous one, "Simple Truth", in the 1820's? I learned from his autobiography that some among his camp opposed his teachings as set forth in those books. And can any inform whether among the Primitives and Predestinarians are such today who oppose Thompson's views.

Just to inform the ignorant elder Thompson seems to have strayed from classic orthodox trinitarianism in those works, teaching that Jesus Christ was the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, kind of like the oneness pentecostals. He also taught incarnational sonship of Christ Jesus. He also taught Christ's human soul pre-existed before the incarnation. He repudiated the classic Christian doctrine of the eternal divine Sonship of Jesus Christ.

Thankful for any enlightening answers.

Harald

 

harald, I am not sure that I can be of much help, but I will give my observations, such as they are. I do not personally know any Primitive Baptists that agree with Elder Thompson's positions on the Godhead. I think the general consensus among them would be that they hold Wilson Thompson in high regard, but that they believe he was wrong in these areas of doctrine.