The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-07-04

articles. some less, some more. They de
clare that by Adams fall or transgressloi
''al his posterity became sinners IN ths
sight of God" that the corruption OF nu
man nature is such that man cannot by hi'
own free will and ability 'renstatc himsel1
i'm the favor of Cod" that God elected OF
those His people in Christ before the 1ouh
dation of the world" that sinners are JUS
fitted ''only by the righteousness or thrlHl
imputed to them;' that the saints VIII iiliai's
persevere and not one OF them VIII eve
he finally lost" that baptism, the LORD :
Sunnnr and washing the saints feet are OF
dinInces of the gospel and should be con
tin,,ad untiI Christ's second coming, INA
"rhe institutions of the day lchurch socle
tiesl are the works Of man; that It
therefore wrong TO join them, ana mat ~
fellowship should be had WIN them. Al
article of the constitution declines 1elioW
shin with any church, or churches which
snnnort amy missionary, Bible, tract, OF
Sunday school union society or advocate
et,ta convention or theological schools,
or ANY other society, formed uhGcr IN.
prctense of circulating the gospel OF Christ
Tho Primitive RaptiSts have no stare
conventions or theological scmlnarlcs. Ihcy
acknowledge no other mode OF DapliSih IMAM
EMERSON and insist that only believers are
nroDer subjects OF it, that it is Il prerequi
Site TO the Lords Supper and that no min
ister has the right to administer the ordl
names unless he has been called OF God,
come under the imposition of hands by a
prcsbytery," and is lin fellowship with the
church of which he is member.
Regular Baptist Greed.
The creed of the Regular Baptists is well
known and the denomination IS perhaps
fine largest evangelical body of Christians
in this country. 1t is divided into the north
ern, southern and colored.
The question of slavery was the cause
of separation between the BaptlstS OF the
north and south, which occurred i'll the year
1915.
In 1879 the question of organic union
of northern and southern BaptiStS came
I'D, but nothing was accomplished. lille
southern Baptists' convention of that year
EXPRESSED its fraternal regard but insisted
on he wisdom and policy OF preserving sep
arate organizations. The same view was
entertained by the denomination in the
north.
The Regular Baptists accept the Bible as
as the only rule of faith and practice. 10
its authority all appeals are mad. There
are. however, two general confessions of
faith which have weight among them as
expressions of their belief. The older one,
known as the Philadelphia confession, first
appeared in London in the seventeenth cen
fury: the other called the New Hampshire
confession was adopted by The New 1amp-
adelphia confession follows closely the
Westminster Uresbytcrian) confession of
faith, with such changes and additions as
were required to set forth tie BAPTIST
views as to the proper subj ects and mode
of baptism and related questions and as to
church government. The New Hampshire
confession was formulated to express the
views of the CalvaniStic }aptists in their
controversy with the Freewill Baptists,
who were of the Armnian type of Theology.
1t is regarded as fairly representing the
dOctrinal opinions of ucrthern BaptistS,
while the Philadelphia confession is more
acceptable, perhaps, 10 southern Baptlsts.
1t is the common practice of southern 1850
Citations to print articles of faith in their
annual minutes. in . few instances the
whole New Hampshire confession thus ap-
pears; in other cases it is shortened by
the omission Of two or more articles. The
following articles taken from it express
the views of all Regular Baptists:
We believe that 4 visible church Of Christ
Is congregation of baptized believers asso-
ciated by covenant in the faith ana fellow
ship of the gospel observing the ordinances
OF Christ, governed by his laws and exer-
cising the gifts. rights and privileges invest
ed in them by his word; that its only script
ural otIicehs are bishops pastors and dea-
cons. whose qualifications, claims and duties
are defined in the epistles to Timothy and
We believe that Christian baptism is i'm
mersion in water Of believer. into the name
show forth i'll Il solemn and beautiful EN-
Of the Father and Son and Holy Ghost, to
bcm, our faith in the crucified. buried and
risen Savior, with its effect in our death to
sin and resurrection to new life; that it is
prerequisite to the privileges of church
relation and to the Lords supper, in which
the members of the church. by the sacred
use OF bread and wine are to commemorate
together the dying love Of Christ, preceded
always by solemn differentiation.
There are 4l4 associations of northern
Baptists and the strength of the church
is in New York, Illionois and Pennsylvania
In all there are SOO,025 COMMITMENTS
belonging to 1902 organizations, with
church property valued at $49, 324, 3O4.
This is independent of the colored church
which is classified separately.
The Oldest Baptist churches and associa
tons are in the north. OF the seventy
seven churches reported for ITO only sever
were in the south These were in Delaware
the Carolinas and Virginia. In the next
decade churches were in Georgia, Tennes
see and Kentucky. There were none, how
ever. in Missouri, Mississippi and Louisiana
until after the present century opened and
none in Arkansas until a much later time
The first association in the south was that
of South Carolina. organized in 1151: those
of Sandy creek and Kehullee in North Car
DINA We're organized in 11IS and 1863: the
Ketoctou in Virginia in 1866 and the Hols
ton in Tennessee in 1886. Virginia was
the Baptist stronghold in 1874 and retained
the lead for more than half century,
WITH RED-HOT GOALS