The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-08-05
ON FALLEN BAPTISM"
difference in Rev. Len. 6.
Broughton's Church.
Practice of Receiving Any Person for Member
ship in a Baptist Church Immersed BY
Other Denominations.
tAtlanta .Tournal.)

Lch y Diou5AIoH IS pastor, mas dCcepltu
a doctrine that displeased some Of the
members of that congregation.
The doctrine is what is known as alien
baptism, or the practice of receiving any
person for membership immersed by
other denominations. The board Of dea-
cons, tWenty-six in number at a meet
ing held two months ago, ave its unani-
nous endorsement to the new doctrine
and it has since become the practice of
the church.
Pending action by the board, however,
opposition was developed. This came
from w. /. Stanton, a prominent MEM
Der Of the church, who lives at College
Park. Mr.. Stanton did not like the idea
of taking in persons baptized by other
denominations only and did not hesitate
to say SO. He thought the policy was
not only unbaptistic but bordered on the
heretical.
Further than to delay action for q
week, the opposition of Mr.. Stanton did
not change the attitude of the board.
Mr.. Stanton has since applied for letters
of dismissal from the church Tor him
self, his wife and two children, which
Will be granted at the next meeting Of
the deacons. He and his family Will
join the Central Baptist church, of
which Rev. j. r. Gum is pastor.
Other members of the church have ac-
copied the doctrine With some misgiV-
ings, holding that the practice is con-
trary, at least to the Baptists Of Geor-
gia. and it may be that they also viii
ask for letters of dismissal.
Rev. Len G.. ~Broughton, pastor of the
Tabernacle, say that his church in
adopting the doctrine has not sprung an
innovation. but that it is a common
practice among some other churches.
I'VE do not believe that the validity
of the ordinance of baptism rests in the
administrations" said DR.. Broughton.
Roman Catholics and a large number OF
Baptists, however, hold such views. |
am free to say that the practice Of the
Baptist churches of Georgia, as a gen
eral thing, is against receiving any per
son for membership immersed by other
denominations. Many of our most prom
inent Georgia Baptist preachers differ
With their churches in this matter. The
Tabernacle has not sprung an innoVa-
ton. 1 do not believe that there is a
single Baptist church north of Mason
and DiXOn's line that holds to this re
strictcd policy which makes the admin
istration Of the ordinance of baptism re-
sponsible to the candidate, or to state it
differently, Which refuses persons for
membership immersed by other denomi-
nations. This is also the practice of
the Baptists of Virsinia. Many of the
leading Baptist churches in North Caro-
lima have also adopted resolutions offer
ing to receive persons immersed by other
denominations. 1t is a Know fact that
a man immersed by another dCnomina-
ton can go to Virginia and join q Bap-
fist church without re-baptism and get
a letter and bring it back to any Baptist
church in Georgia and we receive him.
The Tabernacle got tired of such child's
play and we simply said we Will not
whip the devil around the stump We'll
be fair and square and receive such por-
sons first hand. Baptism was never
given to the church to have exclusive
rights in the administration. Philip was
not an ordained preacher and he bap-
tized the eunuch on the spot, without
waiting for a vote of the church or the
vote OF anything else. We hold a mans
immersion valid when he received it
upon a profession of the faitIl in Jesus
Christ. There are twenty-siX deacons
in my church, and, thank God, we stand
as a unit, not only in this matter, but
in all other matters of church polity."
Rev. w. w. Landrum, ID. D., pastor Of
the First Baptist Church, has the same
views as DR.. BrouGhton on alien bap-
tism, although he says his church, so
far as he knows, has never received a
person on such baptism, nor has the
question been discussed by the church
since he has been its pastor. He said:
"The oldest Baptist confession of faith
is what is known as the London con
fcsion of 1913. This is the Oldest docu-
ment among the English speaking people
bearing directly upon the doctrine of
baptism. 1t expressly states that the
ordinance of baptism is scripturally per
formed when there is a proper subject,
namely, a believer in our Lord Jesus
Christ; a proper act, the immersion in
water of u a subject in the name Of
the Father, the Son and tho Holy Ghost,
and the third element is a proper pur-
pose or design to carry out the last great
commission of Jesus Christ.
ut will be observed that no mention is
made as to any ecclesiastical or cCrc-
monial qualifications of the administra-
tor of baptism. The London conference
says that any disciple of our Lord may
baptizc a proper subject for baptism. To
this most ancient faith of the Baptist, /
myself subscribe. There are Baptist
ministers who hold that the character Of
the administrator is essential to baptism.
This | do not believe. Some fifty odd
years or more ago some of the leaders
among the Georgia Baptists imagined it
to be necessary to be put under stress, ]
think, in the matter of the administrator
of baptism. They nave many worthy fol-
lowers in the State, but as every Baptist
church is independent it exercises its
sovereign rights to approve or disap-
prove what are called alien dimensions
or unbaptist baptisms. Throughout the
States, in Virginia, South
Carolina and many other parts of the
South so-called alien dimensions are re-
ceiVed without question:"
DR.. Broughton leaves this week for a
I've weeks tour through the east, where
he will preach and lecture. He Will
preach i'll the Moody gospel tent in New