MORE UNITED BAPTISTS IN GEORGIA

 Continuing my search for United Baptists in Georgia, I decided to keep searching through active associations, and when they were founded. Associations that began between 1800 and 1840 are promising candidates for possibly being United Baptist. I wasn't disappointed.

The Hightower Baptist Association is a current and very active association in north central Georgia. It is a rather large association with 53 churches. Founded in 1830, they began as a United Baptist association. This association is now in fellowship with both the Georgia Baptist Convention and the SBC. However, they have retained many of their original distinctions and practices. They do not use the Baptist Faith and Message (BF&M), but instead have continued to use their original articles of faith, which they refer to as "Abstract of Principles". The SBC does not require the use of the BF&M, but does require that any other confession that an association might use, must not conflict with it, if it wants to be an affiliated association. This association has held together as a unique entity, and is a rare example of one that may have other Baptist churches within their bounds that belong to another, newer association. It has not dismissed churches to join other associations. It is rare to find two SBC churches that are only a mile apart, belonging to two different associations. As more churches were formed when the population increased, they did not merge or split. They still have union meetings, outdoor baptisms and foot washing. They would be more "primitive" than other associations around them. At the time they were formed, their eastern boundary met the Tugalo Association boundary, which was also founded as a United Baptist association. This makes a good comparison, as the Tugalo was founded as a Calvinist United Baptist association. Where would the Hightower Association fall on that subject?

As always, I begin with the original articles of faith to see what I can learn. The Hightower Association still adhere to them. Let's look at their articles on election and perseverance.

ARTICLE 5. We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God only by the merits of Jesus Christ.

ARTICLE 6. We believe in the election of all God’s people that they are saved and called according to His purpose and grace given them in Christ Jesus before the world began. II Tim. 1:9 and in II Thess. 2:13. “But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth.”

ARTICLE 7. We believe the saints shall persevere in grace and not finally fall away.

Once again, we have the phrase " through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth.” This phrase has appeared in every single non Calvinist, non Arminian articles of faith I have studied so far. Would the Hightower churches continue the pattern and be found to be general provisionist and holding to eternal security? 

In 1836 in a query to the association it was asked "What is the distinction between us and fatalism (Calvinism) in effectual calling? Answer "The chief distinction between us and fatalism in effectual calling, is that though all the saved have been effectually called, many others were called, but not chosen, as the scriptures say. We believe God calls men everywhere to repent and believe the truth, and has left none without hope or offered mercy. The condition decreed by God may be accepted or rejected, and in rejection brings greater condemnation, as unbelief denies the Lord who bought them."

Here we can see that the Hightower UB Association was clear that they believed in general atonement and denied irresistible grace and unconditional election. They would also deny the notion of final apostacy, per article 7 in their abstract of principles. 

In 1837 a query was asked about baptism which was "Shall we require rebaptism for one who was immersed by a predestinarian elder of another association? Answer "We require that one coming from any other association to give satisfaction of true conversion when baptized, and if so,inquire of their satisfaction with their baptism. If satisfied, they should be received without rebaptism."

Here we can see what I suspect was the case of most of the United Baptist movement. It seems each association kept their own theologies intact, even boldy so, yet agreed to accept the validity of any Baptist ordination, and baptism, whether, Calvinist, Provisionist, or Free Will. There also seems to be a hint that the validity of baptism rested on the one being baptized, or at least partly so.

It is becoming more and more evident, that almost all Baptists in the South were "United Baptists" right before the anti mission split. That controversy began the divisions which caused many to retreat to their former titles, while many others united even further into conventions. Many associations just stayed neutral in the fighting, and retained the "United Baptist" name. Many Uniteds had a "wait and see" attitude, and many more would gradually join the SBC as time progressed until well after the Civil War.