Since I began writing against the claims of those who call themselves "Primitive Baptists," I have had to correct the falsehoods that they have made relative to their history and to the history of the Baptists. In this posting I want to correct another error that they have put forth about history.
When I was a young Hardshell preacher, I heard it said more than once that the Pilgrims and Puritans who first emigrated to America in the 1600s did not come as missionaries but solely to escape persecution. They said this because they are determined to deny that there was any missionary activity among Protestants and Baptists prior to the late 1700s. But, in these claims they are wrong and the following information will demonstrate it.
Historical Proof #1 - Jamestown
"In 1607, the expedition led by Pastor Robert Hunt arrived in Virginia Beach. When they arrived in Virginia, the expedition dedicated our country to the glory of God. They planted a rough-hewn wooden cross, which they brought from England, in the sand and prayed:
"We do hereby dedicate this Land, and ourselves, to reach the People within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to raise up Godly generations after us, and with these generations take the Kingdom of God to all the earth. May this Covenant of Dedication remain to all generations, as long as this earth remains, and may this Land, along with England, be Evangelist to the World. May all who see this Cross, remember what we have done here, and may those who come here to inhabit join us in this Covenant and in this most noble work that the Holy Scriptures may be fulfilled." (see here - emphasis mine)
Notice that - "to reach the People within these shores with the Gospel of Jesus Christ"!
Historical Proof #2 - Governor Winthrop
John Winthrop, in "Reasons to be considered for justifying the undertakers of the intended plantation in New England," 1629 (see here), said:
"1. It will be a service to the Church of great consequence to carry the gospel into those parts of the world, to help on the coming of the fullness of the Gentiles, and to raise a bulwark against the kingdom of Antichrist which the Jesuits labor to rear up in those parts."
Historical Proof #3 - Oliver Cromwell
"The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England (also known as the New England Company or Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America) is a British charitable organization created to promote Christian missionary activity among the Native American peoples of New England and other parts of North America under British control. The Company's current website states that "the New England Company can lay claim to being the oldest missionary society still active in Britain."[1]
It was founded by the Act for the promoting and propagating the Gospel of Jesus Christ in New England, passed by Oliver Cromwell's Parliament on 27 July 1649. That Act set up a Corporation in England, consisting of a President, a Treasurer, and fourteen people to assist them.[2] This Corporation had the power to collect money in England for missionary purposes in New England.[3] This money was received by the Commissioners of the United Colonies of New England and dispersed for missionary purposes. The official name of the Corporation was "The President and Society for the propagation of the Gospel in New England".[3]" (see here)
Any of my Hardshell brothers want to repent? Any want to come here and tell us differently?
1 comment:
It is also of note, that prior to the 1950's, almost all hospitals were built by some Christian group. Before the early 1900's, almost every school in the USA and Canada was either run by churches, or in cooperation with churches. Just like on the tv show "Little House on the Prairie", most schools used a church for its classroom, with the pastor serving as teachers at times, and in many places, "Sunday School" was the only place many children had to learn how to read. Even to this day 95% of schools and hospitals in Africa are run by some sort of church. Notice how Muslim countries in Africa and Asia, have very few schools and hospitals, and the ones that do only go to about the 6th grade, where girls are excluded. If it weren't for Christian missionaries, half the world would not know how to read or have any type of medical care. If it weren't for churches propagating the Gospel, this nation would be in darkness both spiritually and otherwise. This nation is entering a new era of darkness, partly because we have stopped preaching the Gospel, and inviting God into our public discussions. Wherever the Gospel is preached, the blessings of God will surely follow, blessings even enjoyed by those who reject it.
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