Thursday, April 15, 2021

Grigg Thompson On Two Seeders

From "The Measuring Rod" by Elder Grigg Thompson, who was one of the leading founders, along with his father Wilson, of the "Primitive Baptist" church, we have these important words (published 1860 - see here):

"But there is, at this time, three large and distinct organizations claiming to be Baptists, and also claiming to be the apostolic church, to wit: the Missionary (or more correctly the machinery) Baptists, which is the largest division, and the Two Seed, or Arian Baptists, which in numbers, perhaps, stand next, and the Primitive Baptists, which are, perhaps, in the United States numerically the weakest of the three."  (pg. 20-21)

Do you see how large a segment of the "Primitive" or "Old School" Baptists were occupied by "Two Seed" Baptists? A larger group than the non Two Seed Primitives. Thompson does not want to include the Two Seed Baptists in with his "Primitive" group, listing them as a separate group entirely, but he knows that they were mingled together and were as one for much of the 19th century, a thing we have shown was admitted by Hardshell historian Sylvester Hassell. In fact, Thompson had a lot to say about Two Seedism, but will not cite him on it now. I simply want other historians to see how Two Seedism played a large role in forming today's "Primitive Baptist Church." Thompson says that the Two Seed or Arian Baptists were larger in number than his orthodox group of Pbs! 

Many of the ministers of the 19th century who are founding fathers of the "Primitive" Baptist church were Two Seeders. What does that fact reveal? What consequences to the legitimacy of many of their church constitutions, baptisms, etc., since such was performed by Two Seed heretics? (In view of their "Landmarkism") What think ye?

Notice also how Thompson connects "Two Seedism" with "Arianism," but that is another story.

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