THE OLDEST REGULAR BAPTIST CHURCH IN THE SOUTH

 Recently I had the privilege of speaking with Marshall Blalock, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Charleston, SC. I had long been wanting to make contact with the church, both for it's history as a church, and because it was the founding member of the Charleston Baptist Association, which was the  southern most association of the Regular Baptists. It was instrumental in the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention, along with the Sandy Creek Baptist Association, which was Separate Baptist.

We discussed the beginnings of the church, which was founded in September 1682 in Kittery Maine, under the sponsorship of First Baptist Church in Boston. In 1696, twenty eight members, along with the pastor, William Screven, left Maine for South Carolina. Why such a long move? During this time, Maine was part of Massachusetts, which was controlled by the Puritans. The Puritans were highly Reformed, and escorted Screven and some of his followers to the edge of town, and told to never return. The persecution of Baptists by the Reformed churches evidently did not stop when they left Europe.

Marshall and I discussed the differences between being "Reformed" and those who were Regular Baptists. Before I even asked his position, it was clear that he made a distinction between Baptists who were calvinistic and the Reformed Calvinism of the State Churches. He agreed with my assessment (without my even asking) that the notion of regeneration before faith, covenant theology and sacramentalism cannot in any meaningful sense, be hitched to the Baptists. Bro. Marshall is a Calvinist, yet it is not something he wears on his sleeves, and his church only requires adherence to the Baptist Faith and Message.

Marshall told me all about Oliver Hart, and how he went to preach at the Presbyterian Church. Hart preached against infant baptism and their mode of sprinkling. The Presbyterians evidently did not like it, and told him to never come back, and Marshall and I both laughed. I told him how I had helped a Methodist church pulling out of the United Methodists, and of baptizing them before I could celebrate the Lord's Supper with them, and he jokingly sent me the "Oliver Hart Achievement Award".

It is interesting to note that FBC Charleston was sending out evangelists and missionaries long before the Anti Mission controversy of the 1830's, as well as participating in the Triennial Convention of 1814 without so much as a peep from detractors. Why was there no opposition and why the opposition years later?

What a refreshing time I had speaking with Marshall! He is a humble man, doing great things. The church recently bought 70 acres outside of town in order for their Christian school to grow, as First Baptist is landlocked in the Old Town of Charleston.

Though we disagreed on some things, it was definitely refreshing to have a conversation with a Baptist who was calvinistic, who understands the difference between being Reformed and Baptist. Marshall's story of Oliver Hart proves that calvinistic Baptists of the past had no qualms about challenging the "Reformed" churches, nor did they prefer an affinity to Presbyterians over other Baptists. We would do well, if such were the case today.