What About Those Eastern Association PBs?

This posting is a follow up to the excellent research that Kenny Mann has done on the Eastern District Association of Primitive Baptists. The above pictures are taken from the Eastern District's web page.

There is not a lot of information available on the Internet about this group of Primitive Baptists. However, I do want to cite from a couple books that do give information that is helpful to understanding the origins of this "unusual" group of PBs. First, let me cite from "Old Time" Baptists By Howard Dorgan of Appalachian State University (see here). He writes (emphasis mine):

"By the middle of the eighteenth century, Baptists had begun to settle the mountain valleys of what is now East Tennessee, and by 1786 their small churches were numerous enough to establish what became the second Baptist association west of the Alleghenies, the Holston Valley Association. However, these early Tennessee Baptists brought with them a doctrinal division that had flourished before and after the Great Awakening. "Regular Baptists" held an allegiance to the Philadelphia Association (established in 1707) and to that organization's creed, the Philadelphia Confession (adopted in 1742 as a heavily Calvinistic, limited atonement document). "Separate Baptists" had become non-credal, Arminian, general atonement Baptists. Although most of the larger Baptist churches of Tennessee now are affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, there still are Regular and Separate congregations within the state, preserving many of their eighteenth- and nineteenth-century traditions."

First, let me say that it is not true that the Separate Baptists were uniformly in favor of the general atonement. Some of them did. Also, in the coming together of the Regulars and the Separates, the Separates agreed to accept the Philadelphia Confession as a basis of fellowship, with the stipulation that it was not to be made an ironclad rule nor put on a par with the scriptures. Second, from what I see in the Eastern District PBs they seem to show more signs of their Separate Baptist ancestry than of the Regular Baptists.

Dorgan continued:

""Old Time Baptists" or "Old Baptists" are informal titles employed by some in the Central Appalachians to indicate not only the Regulars and the Separates, but also a host of equally small denominations with titles such as Old Missionary Baptists, Old Regular Baptists, Regular Old School Baptists, Regular Primitive Baptists, and United Baptists. All are derivatives from either the Regulars, the Separates, or both, and share many of the same tenets such as the observance of such traditional practices as lined a cappella singing, rhythmically chanted impromptu preaching, congregational shouting, and warmly tactile worship behavior; strict adherence to "natural water" (also called "living water") baptisms and communion services that are followed by footwashings; the practice of such governance rules as Paulinian gender mandates, Paulinian directives for elders and deacons, and articles of decorum that date from the earliest history of colonial Baptists; and restrictions on divorce and "double marriage" (remarriage after divorce, while the original spouse still lives). A common liturgical format that, for example, makes the typical Regular Primitive service appear remarkably similar to those of Regular, Old Regular, and United Baptists includes--among other common liturgical elements--at least three sermons, and as many as seven or eight, depending on the nature of the service."

There are various practices and beliefs of the Eastern brethren that shows that they have come from the same source as other PB groups. Though there is a lot that is remarkably different about them, there is nevertheless much that they have in common.

Dorgan continued:

"In terms of doctrine, these "Old Baptists" are a mixed lot. With the exception of the Separates, each of these subdenominations believe in some version of "election." However, Primitives usually interpret election as meaning that before the beginning of time God chose who would become the beneficiaries of Christ's atonement, while Regular, Old Regulars, and Uniteds generally see election as a process by which God individually "calls" the sinner to regeneration and redemption. Separates have adopted a general atonement doctrine that grants to the individual the "free will" to choose or reject redemption. One unique Regular Primitive group found in Appalachia, the Primitive Baptist Universalists, believes Christ's atonement is for all, with the result that at the "Resurrection" all of humankind will be reunited with God and Christ in heaven."

Again, this all helps to explain the "unusual" nature of the Eastern branch of "Primitive Baptists."

Next, I want to cite from the "PRIMITIVE BAPTISTS IN TENNESSEE" by Albert W. Wardin Jr. (see here). Wardin wrote (emphasis mine) the following under the sub heading "Other Groups":

"In their shifts from their Primitive Baptist roots, three other bodies in Tennessee carry many of the features of the National Primitive Baptist Convention. They include the Progressive Primitive Baptists, the Eastern District Association of Primitive Baptists, and the Central Baptist Association, which may properly be labeled as progressive or transitional bodies. Although they began as traditional Primitive Baptists and still, by and large, practice foot washing, these bodies accept Sunday Schools and permit musical instruments in worship. In addition, the first and third bodies have dropped their opposition to institutions— whether educational, benevolent, or missionary. The second and third groups have also modified their strict predestinarianism."  (pg. 44-45)

I think this is true. Although the elders from the Eastern Association that brother Kenny interviewed asserted that today's PBs departed from them, I don't think that is totally true. The fact is, there are some things about the mainline PBs of today that is more like the first PBs of the late 1820s and 1830s, while there are some things about the Eastern group that are more like the first Hardshells than the main-liners. For instance, the first Hardshells were believers in means and in perseverance. In this respect, the Eastern District is more like their forefathers. But, in respect to their views on election, predestination, and on the atonement, they are less like their forefathers and the main-liners are more like them.

Wardin continued:

"On an average, the churches of the transitional bodies are larger than the traditional ones. The Progressive Primitive Baptist body, primarily in Georgia, has seven churches and 371 members in East and Middle Tennessee. The Eastern District Association, primarily in Central Appalachia where Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee converge, has thirty churches with 3,648 members in East Tennessee. The Central Association, a division in 1956 from the Eastern District Association and located in the same territory as its parent body, numbers nine churches with 1,845 members in the state."

The thing not mentioned by Wardin is how the groups he mentions compares with the main-liners. The groups mentioned by Wardin are all doing far better in growth than are the main-liners, who have continued to dwindle and die. This information backs up my recent article on Garrett's Prescription for the survival of the main-liners.

Brother Kenny mentioned how the Eastern Association was begun in 1848 but that the Association did not have minutes or records from the period of 1848 through 1878. That is sad because I am sure that those records would reveal a lot about how the Eastern Association was being formed and shaped into what it is today. Further, in that period of time, there was beginning to be a battle among the Hardshells over the means question. It began with a few Hardshells and kept growing until the 1880s when a split finally began to occur. The means side was finally declared against by the anti means side. I suspect that the Eastern District was further shaped by this division. But, more on that shortly. Let me first cite from the book "The Roots of Appalachian Christianity: The Life and Legacy of Elder Shubal Stearns" by Elder John Sparks (emphasis mine).

"In the northeastern corner of Tennessee, though, one break-off group from the old Holston confederacy, first known as the Mulberry Gap Association of United Baptists, made no hard-line statements about predestination and was and is as evangelistic as its Separate Baptist ancestors. Having expanded northward to southwestern Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and, like all Applalachian Baptist subgroups, transplanted Appalachian communities in the industrial cities of the north, the Eastern District is possibly the largest Appalachian Primitive Baptist association extant." (pg. 246)

From what I have been able to ascertain, the Eastern District group was a branch off of the old Mulberry Gap Association. Keep in mind that the title "United Baptists" was the name given to the Baptists that were formed as a result of a uniting of the Separate and Regular Baptists. In many ways the Eastern Association reflects not only the Separate Baptist tradition, but also that of the United Baptists. As an aside, the great Hardshell leader, Elder Grigg Thompson, always considered himself more a "United Baptist" than a "Primitive Baptist," and before he died in the late 1800s actually left the Hardshells and joined himself with the United Baptists of Kentucky.

Sparks wrote:

"...and the Progressives, such as the Eastern District who are evangelical Separate-style mild Calvinists." (pg. 249)

Yes, the Eastern District churches may be in some sense classified as "Progressives," but not as fully as those who are actually part of the sub denomination. There are some differences between the Eastern brethren and the Progressives. For instance, the Progressives stress ministerial education while the Eastern brethren do not. They also stress supporting their pastors financially, promoting having full time pastors, while the Eastern brethren do not. For more information of the "Progressive Primitive Baptist Church" see here. Further, to my knowledge, the organized Progressive PB church retains a strong belief in the five points of Calvinism, unlike the Eastern District. Also, some of the formal Progressives still have elders and churches who reject the idea of means in the new birth. So, yes, the Eastern District is "progressive" in some respects, but not so in others.

Sparks continued:

"...the Primitives of all factions have received a deep bite from the Landmark bug, and of course the twist that native central Appalachian Baptist groups have always given to Landmarkism was undoubtedly the reference point by which they came to define themselves in the years of their development. Regular, Absolutes, Universalists, and to some extent eve the Progressives all claim that their doctrine and their ancestry is purely apostolic, calling each other and indeed all other denominations renegades who broke off from them and their pure belief at some point in time." (pg. 250-51)

"...the Primitives of all factions have received a deep bite from the Landmark bug." Boy, is that ever true! It seems however that perhaps the Eastern District has become less infected by the bite of that bug! That is good.

According to a leading main-line PB historian and web page, there was a division among the "Primitive Baptists" in the late 1800s. On that web page there is a list of the major divisions that have occurred in the history of the "Primitive Baptists." The division over the "means doctrine" is called "The Division Over the Gospel as Means of Regeneration, Caused by Burnam, Pence, Bradley, Lee, and others, 1882-1892" (referred to here). Under this heading we have these links (which seem to be broken at this time)

Divisions in Churches and Associations over the Means Doctrine
Trial and Decision of Mt. Carmel Church, Luray, Virginia
Resolution of Mt. Carmel Church, Luray, Virginia
Resolution of Chappawamsic Church, Chappawamsic, Virginia
Resolution of Bethel Church, Vienna, Fairfax County, Virginia
Resolution of Thumb Run Church, Marshall, Fauquier County, Virginia
Resolution of Greenwood Church, Minnieville, Prince William County, Virginia

One of the important moments in this division was "The Debate Between Elder Lemuel Potter and Elder W. T. Pence, over the Gospel As a Means of Regeneration, at Luray, Virginia," in 1890. Elder Pence, along with Elder E.H. Burnam, were leaders of the PBs who retained the original PB belief in means and Potter represented the growing faction of PBs who denied the use of means, and of evangelical faith and repentance, in being born again. Another event was the division in the Mt. Carmel Primitive or Regular Baptist church in Luray, Virginia in the late 1800s over the means doctrine, Sunday Schools, missions, etc. There was eventually a famous trial over the church property by both sides, in 1909. A book was published by the anti means faction titled "The Trial and Decision of Mount Carmel Church, Luray Virginia." I have cited from this book frequently in my writings on the history of the Primitive Baptists. In "A Loving Appeal to the Primitive Baptists," by Elder John R. Daily (1906) of the anti means faction, wrote this about the division:

"The effort made by Pence, Burnam and others to "lift the Old Baptists out of the old ruts," and place them on a higher plain of popularity, resulted in a separation from us of a faction..."

For several articles of mine on this division, occurring in the late 1800s, and continuing into the early 1900s, see here. In one of those articles I cite the words of Elder E.H. Burnam, a Primitive or Regular Baptist of the "means faction," who said:

"It was left to the last quarter of the 19th century to give birth among the Old Order of Baptists to the notion of regeneration without faith, or that it is not necessary that one should exercise repentance, faith, or any spiritual gift, in order to be saved, a heresy than which none more pernicious was ever put forth by any professing to be followers of Christ."

I have no doubt, from my research, that Burnam was correct. The original position of the first Primitive Baptists taught that evangelical faith was essential for being born again for being eternally saved. And, of course, "evangelical faith" requires that the gospel be preached for its production as Paul taught in Romans 10. It was also shown that the anti means faction, in denying the necessity of faith for salvation, also began denying the teaching of their forefathers on the subject of perseverance.

Now, keep in mind that the changes in doctrine and practice among the PBs was always in a state of flux, but that the period referred to by Burnam, the late 1800s, was a period that further splintered the PBs. I have no doubt that the Eastern District brotherhood is a resulting faction from that tumultuous period.

In our next posting we will look at the articles of faith of the Eastern District group and discuss them along with some of their other beliefs and practices.