United Baptists Again?

    It never ceases to amaze me how many different kinds of Baptists there are. It also amazes me at how many Baptist groups share the majority of their doctrines in common, but remain separated because of differing views on the smallest of details. Another amazing fact, is that the predestinarian hardshell faction of Primitive Baptists are actually responsible for fracturing the Baptist family more than any other movement.

   As I've discussed in an earlier article about the Old Regular Baptists, who were once in fellowship with the Primitives, I told about how the Old Regulars declared non fellowship in the 1890's as the new "no means" doctrine became cemented among the Primitives. Another group who declared non fellowship with them are the United Baptists. Let's take a look at their history.

   The name "United Baptist" goes back early in the history of Baptists in America. Initially, it was a name used when the Regular and Separate Baptists agreed to come together, agreeing to be known only as "Baptist" or "United Baptist". This union didn't last very long, for many reasons, and we will discuss that at another time. What I wish to discuss here, are those churches who retained the name "United" or adopted that name after the mission/anti mission split.

   Those who styled themselves United Baptists, held a middle ground between the Missionary Baptists and Primitive Baptists, many staying out of the fight altogether. Most sided with the Primitives about mission societies, but sided with the Missionaries on other issues such as Sunday Schools, music etc. The Uniteds for the most part never adopted Sunday Schools or music, but it was because that is what they preferred, not because they were opposed. They just refused to withdraw fellowship over those issues, and while the majority of them worship much like the Primitives and Old Regulars, there is a sizable minority who do have Sunday Schools and music.  Almost all Uniteds have Vacation Bible Schools and revivals, special singing groups, etc.They have no organizational structure above the local association. They are (or were) the most successful group of Baptists who allowed for differing views on the atonement, and peace reigned among them on this issue. Many SBC associations were once United Baptist who dropped their opposition to missions. Things changed quickly though as the Primitives moved further away from being merely calvinistic to being hyper Calvinist.

   Elder John Sparks, a United Baptist, has written extensively on Baptist history in America. He has a vast collection of association minutes of the Uniteds going back 200 years. When compiling the minutes of the Old Zion Association of United Baptists, he writes the following as a preface.

"The Old Zion Association of United Baptists was organized at Salem Meetinghouse in Wayne County, Virginia (now West Virginia) on the first Saturday in November 1848. Though “given off” as an “arm” of the Paint Union Association of United Baptists of eastern Kentucky, most of the earliest membership of Zion Association actually more or less represented churches and ministers formerly connected with the Teays Valley Baptist Association in what is now West Virginia who were disaffected by both Teay’s Valley Association’s adoption of organized financial support for foreign and domestic missions and the breakaway Pocatalico Primitive Baptist Association’s adoption of extreme Calvinistic predestinarian views. Elder Goodwin Lycans, an ordained minister in the Teay’s Valley Association since 1827, was the primary leader in this United Baptist movement (they were called “Go-Betweeners” in that day and age because they represented a middle ground between the Missionary and Primitive Baptist movements)."

    So here we can see why this United Baptist association was born. They were opposed to organized support for mission boards, while also being opposed to the increasing hyper Calvinism among the Primitives. This is extremely early in the Primitive movement to have shown "extreme Calvinistic predestinarian views". The United Baptists had a high tolerance for varying views of the atonement, yet this United association was born because of extremism among the Primitives. As with most Uniteds, they began to drop tolerance for Calvinism in general. You can clearly see this in the Articles of Faith the Old Zion Association adopted.

      Articles of Faith of Old Zion Association of United Baptists adopted 1848

Article 1.
We believe in the only true living God, the creator of the heavens and earth and the things here in contained.

Article 2.
We believe in Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who is Head and King of His Church.

Article 3.
 We believe in the Holy Ghost, the Sealer and Applier of the redemption purchased by Christ .

Article 4.
We believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost and these three are one.

Article 5.
We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament of the Authorized King James Version to be the infallible Word of God, taken then for our only rule of faith and practice; and nothing to be added or to be taken from them.

Article 6.
We believe in the free atonement of Jesus Christ and that He tasted death for every man and that salvation is offered to all men upon the terms of the Gospel.

Article 7.
We believe that repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are necessary previous to baptism and that immersion is the only right way of administering the ordinance.

Article 8.
We believe that Christ has but one true Gospel Church and that it will finally persevere through grace and glory.

Article 9.
We Believe in the communion of the Lord’s Supper, that is, taking of the bread and “fruit of the vine” by the Church of Jesus Christ in commemoration of the death and suffering of the Son of God, until His second coming.

Article 10.
We believe that feet washing is an ordinance of Jesus Christ and ought to be observed and kept by His Church until his Second Coming.

Article 11.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the first resurrection from the dead and that He lives forever.

Article 12.
We believe in the resurrection of the just and unjust.

Article 13.
We believe in the everlasting punishment of the wicked and the eternal happiness of the righteous.

Article 14.
We believe that any Brother who shall come before the Church for the office of a minister or deacon must comply with I Timothy, Chapter 3, and I Corinthians, Chapter 7, verse 39.

    You can see in Article 6 they sent a clear message that they no longer tolerated varying views on the atonement. This association was one of the first United Baptist Associations to declare non fellowship with any holding to limited atonement. They will however fellowship Free Will Baptists, preach in their churches, and accept their baptisms, even though they themselves clearly believe in the perseverance of the saints (eternal security). This just goes to show how liberal they are in working with those whom they disagree on some points. 

   The Pocatalico Primitive Baptist Association ceased to exist in 2005 when one of only 2 churches left closed its doors. Hardshells will close a church without ever asking why the church is empty. The one remaining church of the association has a total of 16 members.

   Please keep in mind that this writing is NOT a theological debate, but a historical one. For those out there who may lament the fact that many Baptist churches refuse to fellowship, work with, or promote the faith with Baptists who hold different views on the atonement, don't direct your anger or disappointment at Baptists who hold a general atonement view...but direct your disappointment squarely at the Hardshell Primitives, because had they not gone off course and adopted heretical doctrines no early Baptist held, then perhaps today,  all who are called "Baptist" would be living, worshiping and working in harmony together proclaiming to the world, that there is a Savior who saves, a people that loves, and churches who stand together to call lost sinners to repentance and faith. If we all could just tell everyone to " Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord" as Acts 3:19 says. Is it possible that all Baptists might be called "United" once again?

  May the Father of all those who follow the Lord Jesus remember that the end is ever more near. When the dark powers of this world begin to rule in absoluteness, they will not ask what kind of Baptist or what brand of Christian you are...they will only ask "will you stand with your God or ours?" At that moment our squabbles will not even come to our mind. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. Amen