As noted previously, Kenny Mann and I have researched the history of the Eastern District Association of Primitive Baptists. Due to the seeming less Calvinistic or Predestinarian characteristics of the Eastern Primitives, our attention as historians of the "Primitive Baptists" was stirred and we were curious to find the root historical causes of this "unusual" phenomenon, at least among the white or Caucasian "Primitive Baptist" churches. We discovered that the Eastern District Association of churches was formed in 1848 from churches that came out of the Mulberry Gap Association of United Baptists. This led us to research the history of the Mulberry Gap Association and to discover what led to the breach in 1848.
In looking at the articles of faith of the Mulberry Gap Association, and the original articles of the Eastern District Association, one cannot discern any major difference. What is certain, however, is that at the time of the division, and the constitution of the Eastern District Association, that differences regarding various organizations and practices associated with the "mission movement" were the cause. Why else would the Eastern District take the name "Primitive Baptist" in 1848? Surely it was to identify with other "Primitive Baptist" churches in their protestations and declarations of non fellowship against those who became styled as "Missionary Baptists."
But, the thing that must be kept in mind is that nearly all "Primitive Baptists" in 1848 still believed that the Gospel was the means that God employed in the eternal salvation of the elect, and that many of them still passionately preached to the unregenerate and called upon them to repent and believe the gospel. Many of them retained their evangelistic zeal in preaching and exhorting the lost. The loss of such belief and preaching among the Hardshells would not occur to after the Civil War.
The Eastern District churches seem to have fought going along with other PB churches, in the latter quarter of the nineteenth century, in rejecting means, and in losing their desire to preach evangelistically to lost sinners. As previously written about, the Alabaha Association of Primitive Baptists also did not go along with the other Hardshell churches who were changing their beliefs about means in the new birth, preaching to the lost, perseverance of the saints, and who were inventing a new doctrine called "time salvation."
As we will see from the following information about the founder of the Mulberry Gap Association, Elder James Gilbert, the Mulberry Gap were only mildly Calvinistic and Predestinarian, retaining more of their likeness to the Separate Baptists than to the Regular Baptists. In "Sketches Of Tennessee's Pioneer Baptist Preachers" (see here) we learn this about Gilbert. (emphasis mine)
"James Gilbert, son of Hiram Gilbert, was born on Walker's Creek, in Giles County, Virginia, in the year of our Lord 1787. The family moved to Lee County, Virginia, when James was quite a lad. In 1813 he was converted and united with the Thompson Settlement Church.
James Gilbert enjoyed few advantages of a school education, and never was a man of many books. But as a preacher of the old-school type he was mighty in the Scriptures, one of the ablest preachers of his day.
His ministry was largely in Virginia, where he was pastor of the Thompson Settlement Church, and did successful work as missionary and evangelist. In Tennessee, the larger part of his labors was in Hancock, Claiborne, Sullivan, and one or two other counties. Dr. I. B. Kimbrough, who as "secretary" and "agent" went almost everywhere, used to say that when he struck Powell's Valley and Lee County, Virginia, "where old Jimmy Gilbert preached," he found "nobody but Baptists." He was the founder and builder of the Mulberry Gap Church, and was pastor of Sneedville, Beech Grove, Little Sycamore, and other churches.
Of the Mulberry Gap Association he was moderator for sixteen years in succession: He presided over the conference or convention at the organization of the association (1835), and was for years the leading spirit, the "big preacher," of the association. He fought long and hard against the "anti-mission" heresy in the association: Frequently he would call some brother to occupy the moderator's chair while he went down into the arena, to "hew to pieces" the bold and defiant spirit of anti-Christ, which thus dared to lift its head among Baptists."
Notice that Gilbert was an opponent of "the anti-mission heresy" and that there were, in the early days of the Mulberry Gap Association, Hardshells or "Iron Jackets," people who opposed missionary work outside of the local church, theological education, etc. Further, the fight with those Hardshells was "long and hard." This fight no doubt went on till 1848 when the Hardshells finally split off from the Mulberry and formed the Eastern District Association. I am sure that Elder Gilbert won a lot of Hardshells over by his efforts. Yet, his efforts were not completely successful. Notice how the writer speaks of Gilbert's belief that the "spirit" that motivated the Hardshells was "of anti-Christ," and which had newly "lift its head among Baptists."
However, a look at the present belief and practice of the Eastern District Association shows how they are far less possessed of such a Hardshell anti-mission spirit as they were in 1848. If Elder Gilbert were alive today, he would no doubt be pleased about this.
This article continues:
"At other times he would turn the association into a protracted meeting: When the association met at Little Sycamore, he preached and called for penitents. The vast throng, as if moved by one impulse, came forward. Only two sinners in all the crowd were unmoved. On another occasion the association met at a private house. After the regular sermon, Brother Gilbert was called on to "conclude" the service, according to the custom of those days. The preacher arose and said, "I have a headache, brethren; and, what is worse, I have a cold heart" - but before he had talked ten minutes the fire had kindled and he was launching out on an exhortation. The audience was stirred. One woman, a "hard-shell," shouted. She had broken her iron jacket, and was shouting herself hoarse, as she came out from among the "antis" to join the "missionaries.""
I have no doubt that many of the first Hardshells also "preached and called for penitents." We have proven that such was the practice in the Kehukee Association long before the division over hardshellism occurred in 1827. The type of preaching and "exhortation" that characterized Gilbert's preaching at one time characterized the preaching of the first PBs. Elder John Watson spoke about the decline in this kind of preaching among the Hardshells at the time of the Civil War. He wrote this about it in his book "The Old Baptist Test":
"A gospel without exhortation; without a call on the sinner to repent and believe; a gospel which does not in word address itself to all; is not the gospel which Christ ordained subordinately for the bringing in of his "other sheep."" (page 86 - see here for more such citations from Watson on the subject)
Oh what a great joy to see the cold Hardshells come to see the truth as this old sister! To see them become on fire, as old Elder John Leland, with a burning desire to win souls for Christ! To see them throw off that "spirit" that refuses to believe that the gospel is the power of God to save!
The sketch about Gilbert continued:
"As a visitor to the Holston Association, when that body met with the Muddy Creek Church, Elder Gilbert was appointed to preach out of doors. His text was, "I have a message from God unto thee." In the midst of the sermon it began to rain. The preacher told his hearers they had better find shelter, but they said, "Go on!" The few umbrellas at hand were lifted. The preacher preached and the rain poured. Most of the audience were drenched, but still they listened. More than one offered to hold an umbrella over the preacher, but he said, "No; if you can listen in the rain, I can preach without a shelter."
What motivated such men? Was it not his belief that souls were stake in his preaching efforts?
The sketch continues:
"Brother Gilbert's special gift was that of an evangelist. His greatest work was in revival meetings. He was instrumental in the conversion of more than 2,000 souls, who were added to the Lord through his ministry."
When I think of how many souls many of the Hardshell preachers could have been instrumental in saving, had it not been for their anti mission, anti means, spirit, I weep. Men of the past, like elders C.H. Cayce, John R. Daily; And, men of the present, like Sonny Pyles, Lasserre Bradley Jr.; Oh how many souls they could have saved by preaching to the unregenerate and pleading with them!
The article continues:
"East Tennessee and the mountains have had few men, if any, who had greater power over an audience than James Gilbert. Under the lightning strokes of his fiery denunciations of sin hard-hearted sinners would quake and tremble -would sometimes fall to the floor, crying out, "Pray for me! I am a lost sinner!" A noted preacher and competent critic said of James Gilbert, that "when the spirit of exhortation, was upon him he was simply irresistible."
When the "Primitive Baptist" lost that "spirit of exhortation" that Watson spoke about, they died! You just do not see sinners coming to PB meetings! You don't see sinners trembling under Hardshell preaching! Why? Because they have no faith in their preaching! They have no faith in the gospel being the power of God to save. They have no desire to be used of God in saving sinners! Have they forgotten such verses as these?
"And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." (Dan. 12: 3)
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." (Prov. 11:30)
Elder Gilbert believed that he could, through preaching God's gospel, "turn many to righteousness," and that he could "win souls." But, our modern Hardshells do not believe that the gospel they preach will save anyone. Further, they don't want to be such a means! Thankfully the Eastern Association preachers of today have not imbibed such a belief and spirit! God bless them for that!
The sketch write up on Gilbert continued:
"In personal appearance, Elder Gilbert has been described by those who knew him as a man of "portly mien, tall and commanding, eyes dark and flashing, voice powerful and trumpet-like, as if given to awaken sinners and call them to judgment. His manner was grave and impressive. He had a fine delivery, and was a persuasive, melting preacher." He was also a great singer, and had a voice not only of great power but of wonderful melody and sweetness, both in preaching and singing the gospel.
Of all the things that I could wish said of me after I am gone, by either God or men, is that he was used by God to awaken sinners! That God used him to save sinners! That would be far more desirable than having been used in correction of erring saints or in fighting the heretics.
The article continues:
"January 21, 1858, this noble servant of God passed to his reward, at the age of 71. His brethren memorialized him in their Associational Minute as "an able minister of the gospel," and his death as removing "one of the few remaining ancient pillars of the sanctuary among the Baptists of East Tennessee."
Notice that Elder Gilbert labored in the Association about ten years after the time when the Eastern District formation in 1848. It is obvious that the Eastern District was formed by Hardshells within the Mulberry Association who opposed the preaching of Gilbert and of his efforts to support mission societies.
The sketch continues:
"Slightly smaller is the Eastern District Association of Primitive Baptists (over six thousand members), which was organized in 1848 and which is still found mainly in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee and Virginia. Though it allows musical instruments in worship and has a modified view of predestination, it holds to traditional Primitive Baptist attitudes towards camps, beneveloent institutions, foreign mission programs, and similar extra-congregation activities."
Let it be observed that 1) the Eastern District does not now oppose the same things she opposed when she was first formed, having been mostly cured of that "anti mission spirit," and 2) that she has not lost her belief in means and in evangelistic appeals to the unconverted. She does not now "hold to traditional Primitive Baptist attitudes" in many ways and she is to be praised for this.
Now let me cite from the famous Baptist Jeremiah Jeter, in his book on Virginia ministers, concerning James Gilbert. He wrote:
"For somethings like ten years Elder Gilbert engage with characteristic zeal and fidelity in preaching the gospel in the counties of Southeastern Virginia. Having exercised a blessed influence among the churches of this region, it was reserved for him to be still more useful in a new field. He removed to Mulberry Gap, Tennessee, in 1832, and here, in this new country, comparatively sparse in its population, he patiently toiled until it became his privilege to see numerous churches rising up mainly as the result of his instrumentality. In 1843 the Mulberry Gap Association was organized. Of this body he may be properly considered the father. It now contains thirty-two churches, some of which are large and flourishing. Up to the year 1853 he was regularly chosen the presiding officer of the Association, and, as such, commanded the respect of his brethren. The church at Mulberry Gap, of which he was the efficient pastor, rose to a condition of marked efficiency, being the largest in the Association."
"The subject of this sketch took a noble part in defence of the missionary enterprise at the time when some of the churches and ministers took ground against it. He entertained enlarged views of Christian duty. Because salvation is of grace he could not, therefore, conclude that the use of appropriate means in the sending out of Christ's gospel was wrong or unnecessary. He regarded such instrumentality as a solemn duty, and was unwilling to be found a loiterer in his Master's vineyard. He suffered much opposition and reproach from the anti-mission party on this account."
It was doubtless due to "opposition and reproach from the anti-mission party" that churches split off in 1848 and formed the Eastern District Association of Primitive Baptists. Would to God that all Hardshells today would "conclude" as did Gilbert "that the use of appropriate means in the sending out of Christ's gospel" was right and necessary! Thank God the Eastern District brethren feel this way!
Jeter continued:
"As a speaker," says one who knew something of his influence, "he was ardent and earnest, yet meek and calm. His speech, though plain, was always with grace, seasoned with salt. There was fire, holy fire in his eye and in his head, and much unction in his matter and manner. He was a true, God-made man. As a theologian he was neither a hard-shell nor a soft-shell, iron-jacket nor blue-jacket, high nor low-not lop-sided in any way, but a true gospel spiritualist." (see here)
The thing here said of Gilbert may well be said now of the Eastern District Association of Primitive Baptists - that they are neither Arminian nor Calvinist, neither Hardshell or Softshell!
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