On page 1 Vol. 1 (no. 7) for April 1, 1854, Elder John Clark wrote the following in his periodical "Zion's Advocate" (emphasis mine) under the title "The Old School Baptists"(emphasis mine):
"We belong to that order called Old School, and by that we understand, in regard to salvation, all that is embraced in the doctrine of grace--and a strict construction of the scriptures throughout. But when that cognomen is sought to be used as a cloak and shelter for errors of the worst kind, we eschew it, we protest against it, appropriated to such a purpose."
As an historian of the "primitive" or "old school" Baptists, I say that this citation is extremely valuable. In my recent posting of Clark's articles on "Repentance" I mentioned how the fight with the "ultraist" Two Seed wing of the denomination (calling themselves "Primitive" or "Old School") had begun to effect men like Clark and Watson, who began to wonder whether it was worth continuing to fly under such a "banner" (name or title) when so many false and absurd teachings were being promoted under it. In the above words we have Clark stating that fact clearly.
Several years ago I counseled PBs, or those among them that wish to reform by returning to the faith of their fathers and of the scriptures, and thus save themselves from further decline and death, to no longer call themselves "primitive" or "old school." Just call themselves "Baptists" (the name used by their forefathers) or "Old Baptists," or "Predestinarian Baptists," or something similar. The reason is that the name "primitive Baptist" has become a "shelter for errors of the worst kind." And, for this reason we should "eschew" the name, yea, even "protest against it"! And why? Because the banner has been "appropriated to such purpose."
We can be real old school, primitive (original) without using such words to describe our denomination. There is simply too much "baggage" now associated with the banner (name) to continue to operate under it. I am primitive or old school theologically, but I don't need to fly under a banner with those exact words on it.
Clark continued:
"We never understood, in taking a stand 20 years ago against new measures in religion, that all who should enlist under Old School banners were to have the unbridled license to introduce and propagate any or all of the exploded dogmas of the dark ages, and it would all be sanctified by the wonderful charm imparted by the Old School colors under which we are sailing."
Amen to that!
Clark continued:
"We get up excitement upon a particular question, parties are formed, and we get fully under way in our march against opposing interests, and ere we are aware, we have been led or driven to an extreme far beyond the error we commenced battling against. Such is precisely the condition in which we consider some of the Old School Baptists at present."
Every student of the history of the PBs will be interested in the historical value of this citation!
Clark continued:
"The leaders, who have caused them to err, have kept up such a noise, such a hue and cry, both from the pulpit, and the press, against "New School," and extolling the "Old School," as being in many things far in advance of the apostles (that is a proper use of sarcasm - SG), that many brethren have not halted long enough to see what they were teaching all the while; have not examined whether their doctrine is any better than what they are laboring to put down."
I love the sarcasm of Clark! Who are these "leaders"? Beebe and Trott, no doubt, but others too of the "ultraist" or Two Seed element in the denomination.
Clark continued:
"But, brethren, is it not time now (1854 - SG) for reflection? Have we not reached a crisis, when it becomes necessary, and of the utmost importance, that we should pause and see, not only to what we are tending, but what many are already involved in?"
We live 165 years after Clark wrote these prophetic words. To what did it all lead to as respects the "Primitive Baptist" denomination? What we see is what we have for years, in thousands of posts, shown is the present sad state of the denomination. It has literally become a cult!
Clark continued:
"Many of the saints can witness that, instead of the sincere milk of the word, the precious gospel of Christ with which alone they can be fed, they have for years been confined to stereotyped harangues against Arminians and New School men, for no matter what text, the sermon is generally the same substantially. We would not be understood as maintaining that these and all other errors should not be criticized and exposed, but the incessant clamor against these and nothing else of consequence is what we condemn; and the consequences of this injudicious mode of warfare is apparent in many cases, and its legitimate effect visible within our borders: Leanness of soul, a worldly-minded spirit, neglect of reading the scriptures, and of prayer and those whom we have so severely handled have not been at all benefited by our ministrations and reproofs."
What was the "legitimate effect," the "consequences," of the "warfare" over the purpose of the gospel, begun by the ultraist Two Seed wing the newly formed denomination? Again, we have fully described those effects and consequences in our writings.
Clark continued:
"Such cunning craftiness has been displayed in introducing the wild doctrines among us, that the strange anomaly is frequently witnessed, of seeing brethren, sound in the faith when they express their own sentiments, actually affirming that they are not aware of the existence of any sentiment among professed Old School Baptists inharmonious with their own!"
"Introducing the wild doctrines among us"! Is not the no means view of the ultraist one of those "wild doctrines"? The idea that only the regenerated were to be preached to and exhorted to believe and repent? Clark knew that these were new ideas among the PBs.
Clark continued:
"...for we are well assured that but a small fraction of the Old School Baptists, proper, believe in the created Son of God scheme. It is one of the strange things in nature that persons should see no difference between the zenith and the nadir, and should imagine that the antipodes are dwelling with us; and no less strange is it that there should be any who have not seen what has been so fully written, and therefore so clearly manifested to all."
I think it was "but a small fraction" in 1854, but by the end of the century, that small fraction took over the denomination!
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