It is a common assertion of the KJV Detractors that King James Onlyism originated with 7th-Day Adventist Benjamin Wilkinson in his book Our Authorized Bible: Vindicated in 1930. For example, in “The Unlearned Men: The True Genealogy and Genesis of King-James-Version-Onlyism,” Doug Kutilek writes, “Every KJVO advocate is a lineal descendant of Wilkinson, Ray, Fuller and Ruckman…”
Now, I reckon there is an element of truth in that – when we view KJVO as a movement within Fundamentalism. Ray and Fuller definitely show dependence on Wilkinson in their writings, and later fundamentalists show dependence on Ray and Fuller. Nevertheless, as someone who spends a lot of time in dusty Baptist records, I could intuit that acceptance of the King James Version as THE BIBLE had a much longer history among Baptists – even if the idea might not be sophisticated and been little supported by a writing culture. If nothing else, the variety of primitivistic Baptist groups who use only the KJV – who probably never heard of Ray and Fuller, at least before the rise of the internet – should give the historian pause when making too dogmatic of assertions. The somewhat isolated Christian Unity Baptist Association adopted the sentence “We believe in using only the King James version of the Bible” at their organizational session in September 27-28, 1935 – before any writing by Edward F. Hills or J. J. Ray. And if I were a betting man, I’d be willing to bet they never heard of Benjamin Wilkins or Our Authorized Bible (but I have been wrong before. Once).
In The Menace of Modernism William Bell Riley briefly referenced an “old” view of belief that the King James Bible was inerrant, even though he figured “that such fogies in Biblical knowledge are few, and their funerals are nigh at hand.” Lo and behold, I found some of the “old fogies” 100 years before Riley wrote his book – 1817!!
In the history of the Original Tennessee Association of Primitive Baptists recorded at the New Providence Primitive Baptist Church website it is recorded that at the 1817 meeting the Tennessee Association of Baptists this body “established the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible as its standard.” The minutes reveal how it happened. [From pages 2 and 3 of the minutes of the Tennessee Association of Baptists (org. 1802), when meeting at Hickory Creek Meeting House, Knox County, Tennessee, October 4ff, 1817. Those who wish to see for themselves may download it from HERE.]
Troubled by the assertions of “a Mr. John Hutchison, a Methodist circuit rider…that a translation by Mr. John Wesley had been received by the Baptists as sacred more than twenty years ago,” the association answered, “from the best authority we have received from England, Wales, Germany, and the United States, such a thing has never come to our knowledge, but we are certainly informed that the Old and New Testament translated by order of King James the 1st, has been always the standard for the Baptists.” Another query followed as to how the churches should “behave ourselves towards preachers, and people that have altered the New Testament and those that adhere and propagate the same?”
“Answer: We believe that any person, either in a public or private capacity who would adhere to, or propagate any alteration of the New Testament contrary to that already translated by order of King James the 1st, that is now in common use, ought not be encouraged but agreeable to the Apostles words to mark such and have no fellowship with them; and for the authority of our belief we refer to the following scriptures, viz: Deuteronomy 4th Chapter and 2 verse, Chapter 12 and 32 Chapter 28 and verse 14, Joshua 1 and 7, Proverbs 30 and 6, Rev. 22 and 18, 19, 2 John 10 verse.”
One may object to the accuracy of their history or their reasoning, but it is hard not to see that this body of Baptists adhered to the King James only 113 years before Benjamin Wilkinson wrote any book, and 55 years before he was even born. They went so far as “to mark such and have no fellowship with them.”
Now, I reckon there is an element of truth in that – when we view KJVO as a movement within Fundamentalism. Ray and Fuller definitely show dependence on Wilkinson in their writings, and later fundamentalists show dependence on Ray and Fuller. Nevertheless, as someone who spends a lot of time in dusty Baptist records, I could intuit that acceptance of the King James Version as THE BIBLE had a much longer history among Baptists – even if the idea might not be sophisticated and been little supported by a writing culture. If nothing else, the variety of primitivistic Baptist groups who use only the KJV – who probably never heard of Ray and Fuller, at least before the rise of the internet – should give the historian pause when making too dogmatic of assertions. The somewhat isolated Christian Unity Baptist Association adopted the sentence “We believe in using only the King James version of the Bible” at their organizational session in September 27-28, 1935 – before any writing by Edward F. Hills or J. J. Ray. And if I were a betting man, I’d be willing to bet they never heard of Benjamin Wilkins or Our Authorized Bible (but I have been wrong before. Once).
In The Menace of Modernism William Bell Riley briefly referenced an “old” view of belief that the King James Bible was inerrant, even though he figured “that such fogies in Biblical knowledge are few, and their funerals are nigh at hand.” Lo and behold, I found some of the “old fogies” 100 years before Riley wrote his book – 1817!!
In the history of the Original Tennessee Association of Primitive Baptists recorded at the New Providence Primitive Baptist Church website it is recorded that at the 1817 meeting the Tennessee Association of Baptists this body “established the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible as its standard.” The minutes reveal how it happened. [From pages 2 and 3 of the minutes of the Tennessee Association of Baptists (org. 1802), when meeting at Hickory Creek Meeting House, Knox County, Tennessee, October 4ff, 1817. Those who wish to see for themselves may download it from HERE.]
Troubled by the assertions of “a Mr. John Hutchison, a Methodist circuit rider…that a translation by Mr. John Wesley had been received by the Baptists as sacred more than twenty years ago,” the association answered, “from the best authority we have received from England, Wales, Germany, and the United States, such a thing has never come to our knowledge, but we are certainly informed that the Old and New Testament translated by order of King James the 1st, has been always the standard for the Baptists.” Another query followed as to how the churches should “behave ourselves towards preachers, and people that have altered the New Testament and those that adhere and propagate the same?”
“Answer: We believe that any person, either in a public or private capacity who would adhere to, or propagate any alteration of the New Testament contrary to that already translated by order of King James the 1st, that is now in common use, ought not be encouraged but agreeable to the Apostles words to mark such and have no fellowship with them; and for the authority of our belief we refer to the following scriptures, viz: Deuteronomy 4th Chapter and 2 verse, Chapter 12 and 32 Chapter 28 and verse 14, Joshua 1 and 7, Proverbs 30 and 6, Rev. 22 and 18, 19, 2 John 10 verse.”
One may object to the accuracy of their history or their reasoning, but it is hard not to see that this body of Baptists adhered to the King James only 113 years before Benjamin Wilkinson wrote any book, and 55 years before he was even born. They went so far as “to mark such and have no fellowship with them.”
