The "Ablest Primitive Baptist Minister"?

Elder Sylvester Hassell, the leading "Primitive Baptist" historian, recognized as such by Hardshell Baptists, in his and his father's (C.B. Hassell) history titled "History of the Church of God" wrote the following in chapter XIX (See here):

"Elder Wilson Thompson (1788-1866), a native of Hillsborough, Kentucky, is regarded as the ablest Primitive Baptist minister that ever lived in the United States." 

How "Primitive Baptists" can hold this man in such high esteem is bewildering. Today's Hardshells mostly reject the idea that one must believe by the gospel to be born again, and yet Thompson did. Thompson was a Modalist or Sabellian, denying the ontological Trinity, and today's Hardshells would reject any minister who taught such. Thompson was also a Two Seed Primitive Baptist and most Hardshells today would say that they have previously declared non fellowship for such. 

I have written numerous articles on Wilson Thompson. I know a lot about his views and his life. I read his biography when I was a young Hardshell. You can read it (here). I have also read his other books: 1) "The Triumph of Truth or, The Scripture of True Guide to Zion's Pilgrims; in Which Some of the Most Important Branches of the Christian Theology are" (1821) and 2) "Simple Truth" (1825) and 3) "An Address to the Baptists of the United States" (1850). You can read the first (here), the second (here). His autobiography can also be read online (here). One can also read the "Signs of the Times" periodical from the 1830s till Thompson's death in 1866. 

I became a member of "Thompson Memorial Primitive Baptist Church" in Franklin, Ohio where my father was the pastor and who chose that name for the church which he founded. He would talk to me a lot about Wilson Thompson, Grigg Thompson his eldest son, and his other relatives, J.M. Thompson and R.W. Thompson, all who were leading Hardshell Baptist ministers. He had such a high esteem for the Thompson clan that he thought it was a good name for their church, especially seeing that it was in the area where Wilson and Grigg Thompson lived for many of their years. Grigg was once a member of the Hamilton (Ohio) "Primitive Baptist Church" in the 1820s (a church he was excluded from for awhile and then reinstated). I was born in Hamilton. My sister, who is a Hardshell Baptist, is a member of Thompson Memorial (though they have changed the name since father's death) and she lives in Lebanon, Ohio which is where Wilson labored for years in pastoring the church there. That old church building is still there though the church has died. Father used to drive me by it. When I visit my sister I drive by the old building. 

I am also well versed in the history of the "Miami Association" of Baptists, taking in the first Baptist churches along the Miami river, a river I lived beside when I lived in Hamilton. It was constituted in 1798, five years before Ohio became a state. Thompson was a leader in this association along with Elder Stephen Gard. When I moved with my mother and step father to a little town called "Reily" I would visit, sometimes with father, the old church building there that was once a Baptist church that split and then disbanded over the division over the "anti mission movement." Father used to tell me - "Gilbert Beebe came through here and preached here." It was called "Indian Creek Regular Baptist Church" and I have a picture of it and a writing on it (here). I.T. Saunders, of Hamilton, was the clerk of the Miami Association for many years and he often wrote to the "Signs of the Times" and supported Beebe. He is buried in the cemetery at the Indian Creek Church, a cemetery I often walked in when I was a teenager and young Hardshell Baptist. Saunders was a staunch supporter of Wilson Thompson and defended him and agreed with him on his denial of the Trinity and took issue with Elder James Osbourn, a founding father of "The Primitive Baptist Church," who accused the Miami Association of holding to heretical views on the Trinity. I don't doubt that he also, along with many others in the Miami Association, believed in Two Seedism. 

I have read Thompson's books, the writings and sermons and debates of his son Grigg, and also the writings of John M. Thompson who served churches in Indiana and in the Miami valley and who was a writer for "The Primitive Monitor" for several years in the late 19th century. I believe he is the nephew of Wilson. Father and I would also talk about Wilson's grandson R.W. Thompson who was also a leading Hardshell in the late 19th century. He was born in Fayette county Indiana as was J.M. Thompson. R.W. was the editor and founder of "The Primitive Monitor" periodical. I have read old issues of this periodical. 

Said Hassell further:

"He moved to Lebanon, Ohio, on a call from the church at that place, and while living there he published two books, “Simple Truth” and “Triumph of Truth,” opposing Fullerism, and thus brought upon himself much persecution. Considering “person” to mean a distinct and separate individual, he objected to the saying that there were three persons in the Godhead; though he maintained the unity of God, and, at the same time, the divinity of the Father, Son and Spirit."

I have written about Wilson's views on the Trinity, along with critiquing Sylvester Hassell's narrative of his views (as stated in the above citation), in this post (here). Clearly Hassell, in order not to deface the reputation of this founding father of his denomination, tried to downplay the views of Thompson, for in other sections of his history, Hassell calls Sabellianism a heresy. Also, though Hassell exults in Thompson affirming that "regeneration" is accomplished apart from means, he does not tell his readers that Thompson believed that the new birth followed regeneration and necessitated believing the gospel. Also, the two books Hassell mentions above were not so much an attack on "Fullerism" but on the Trinity and a defense of Parker's Two Seedism. Hassell does not mention that in those books Thompson affirmed the preexistence of the man Christ Jesus, the preexistence of the children of God, and their eternal vital union with Christ, and his denial that Christ's being the "Son of God" denoted Christ's divinity. 

Said Hassell further:

"In regard to the use and effect of the preached gospel, Elder Thompson held, with the majority of Old School Baptists, that it is not the means of imparting spiritual life to the dead sinner; that as no means can be used to give life to one literally dead, even so no means can be used to give eternal life to those who are dead in sins; that, as all temporal means are used to feed, nourish and strengthen living subjects, and not dead ones, so the preaching of the gospel is the medium through which God is pleased to instruct, feed and comfort His renewed children, and not by which He gives life to the dead sinner whom the Spirit alone can quicken; that the gospel is the proclamation of good tidings of great joy to those who have a hearing ear and an understanding heart to receive it, and to these it is the power of God unto salvation, saving them from the false doctrines of men, and feeding and making them strong in the truth." 

Two things need to be stated in reply to Hassell, who is writing to defend Thompson, even though he knew that he held to unscriptural ideas. First, Hassell does not tell us that Thompson in his early days believed that the gospel was a means in regeneration or the new birth. Second, even when he changed his mind and accepted the view that regeneration was effected without the means of the word of God, he still held to the view that the new birth was effected by the means of the gospel. He, like many Baptists in his day, believed that regeneration and being born again were not the same thing, affirming that regeneration corresponded to the implantation of the seed in the womb and the new birth was deliverance from the womb. So, he believed that being born again was effected by the means of the word of truth. Further, Hassell, in the above citation, acknowledges that not all "Old School Baptists" denied means, although he wants the readers (who are Hardshells for the most part) to believe that the majority of the first "Primitive" or "Old School" Baptists denied means in either regeneration or rebirth, but I don't believe that such is the case. Hassell certainly did not prove his assertion. 

Wilson Thompson Denied The Trinity

In my posting "Wilson Thompson's Heresies" (See here) back in 2013 I cited these words of Thompson from his two books mentioned previously.

Thompson wrote:

"...so the God in Christ, or Christ as God, was the only Lord God of the apostles, to the exclusion of all persons distinct from Him." "Some may try to evade the force of all these plain, and pointed Scriptures; by acknowledging that Christ is God, in common with the Father and Spirit; but yet a distinct person, from them both. To destroy this futile and illogical refuge, I will adduce a few pointed texts, which will be like fire among thorns, to this cobweb refuge."

"Now, if the Godhead consists of three equal, and distinct persons, and Christ be only the second one of these, how woefully the apostle missed it, and how improper the caution in the text; but if the apostle be correct, and the whole fullness of the Godhead, to the exclusion of all distinct persons, be in Christ bodily, how woefully the tri-personal scheme misses it, and how well timed the warning given by the apostle to the church, to beware lest any man spoil them through philosophy, etc."

"...neither is there one text that says anything about three persons in the Godhead." In a small Book which I published in 1821 entitled “Simple Truth;” I said something against the notion of three distinct persons in the Godhead; as being a defect in the Trinitarian plan of reasoning. On this account, some men, not very well disposed toward me, have seized this one reference as a good opportunity to poison the minds of their friends against me, by falsely saying, both, in print and verbally, that I had treated the doctrine of the Trinity with the utmost contempt. This is a false allegation, but I hold nothing against any man on this account; to his own master he stands, or falls. By the word Trinity; I understand three in one. By the divine Trinity; I understand the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; being one. But I never thought, nor do I yet think, that these three must necessarily be distinct, divine, and equal persons of one indivisible essence, and each of these persons, separately considered, truly and properly God, and yet all of them but one God, in order to the existence of a trinity; nor did I believe, that the three must necessarily be persons at all, in order to the existence of a trinity; nor do I yet believe it."

So, we say to Hassell (even though he is in his grave) and to all those who are "Primitive, Old School, Hardshell" Baptists, is this the man you think is so great as Hassell says?

Wilson Thompson Was a Two Seeder

I have been writing a series on the history and heresies of Two Seedism, or Parkerism, in the Old Baptist Test blog and I even have a separate blog which has all my writings on that subject (See here). I have mentioned Wilson Thompson relative to whether he was or was not a Two Seeder. I plan, in upcoming chapters, to give citations from Thompson that show this to be the case. I ask every Hardshell Baptist who reads this write up this question - "is Thompson the ablest Primitive Baptist minister that ever lived" as Hassell affirms in view of the fact that he was a Sabellian and Two Seeder? In spite of the fact that he believed that the children of God have existed from eternity? In spite of the fact that he believed that the humanity of Christ was what was begotten as the Son of God in eternity? 

Thompson wrote the following which shows that he was a Two Seeder:

"...we are lost when we go to hunt the antiquity of this union. We can only say it is as old as God, for God is love; but love must have an object or it ceases to be, for I cannot love and love nothing; love is that endearing or uniting perfection of God, which could only exist, so long as the object beloved existed; nor could God be love before the object was beloved, neither can love be controlled, for it brings forth, produces, or sets up its own object, that is, must necessarily have an object, in order to have its own existence; and as God is self-existent and independent, His existence as love, brought forth its object, which was the soul of Christ with all His people in it, and the very existence of God as king could only be because He had subjects: for a king without a kingdom, is no king at all; so love without an object is no love at all. So we see that in order to our speaking of God as being love, or His existing as love, there must be an object beloved, and in order to His being a king there must be subjects, and thus the pre-existent soul of Christ, was the object of the love of God and His people in it were the subjects of His kingdom, and Christ was the medium of operation through whom God exercises His authority in the government of His kingdom; for in the pre-existing soul of Christ, the subjects of this kingdom were chosen, before the world, when we speak or read of a choice being made in Christ before the world, we are not to understand, that God was looking through Adams posterity, and picking out one here, and another there, and writing their names in the book of life, and refusing the rest, for they were chosen in Christ before the world and not in Adam; for He did not exist before creation; and the choice was not an act that took place, or was planned some time after the existence of God, either before the world or since, but was a consequence of and inseparable from the existence of God as king, and this kingdom was organized in the pre-existent soul of Christ..."  (DISCOURSE #5 On the Atonement, and Man's Justification by it. in "Simple Truth")

In my present series on "Two Seedism" I show where not only Daniel Parker, but Gilbert Beebe, Samuel Trott, and T.P. Dudley also taught the leading premises of Two Seedism. The latter three were the foremost defenders of Two Seedism. But, we must not exclude Wilson Thompson. The fact that he was a Two Seeder is generally a fact kept concealed by Hassell and a fact that most Hardshell Baptists who hold Thompson in such high regard as Hassell do not know. Thompson was a close friend of Daniel Parker and never said anything against him or his view on the "two seeds." He was also a close friend of Beebe and often wrote into the "Signs of the Times" and never did Thompson object to the Two Seed views being promoted in that periodical. I have shown where Dudley had Thompson's endorsement of his Two Seed writings. In fact, as I will show in upcoming chapters in my series on Two Seedism, he wrote articles in that periodical defending Two Seedism. The above citation also shows that the believed 1) in the preexistence of the humanity of Christ, and 2) the preexistence and vital actual union of the elect, or good seed, in Christ from eternity. These are two foundational beliefs of Two Seedism. In this way he was not only a Sabellian, but an Arian also, for like other Two Seeders he believed their views, which deny that Christ is God by being the Son of God, and affirms that his being begotten by the Father before the world began only produced his human soul, and that he begat all the souls of the children of God at the same time.

In "Warren County Local History" by Dallas Bogan, he writes about "The First Baptists In Ohio And Warren County" (See here) and says the following about Wilson Thompson:

"Salary compensations for the pastor were not noted in the Lebanon Church until 1827, when Elder Wilson Thompson's salary was fixed at $500 annually. The pastors generally had some other means of support other than preaching. Some of them were farmers or farm hands. Elder Thompson practiced medicine during his tenure as pastor." 

Isn't that interesting, my Hardshell brothers? A large majority of the first Hardshells vehemently denounced as an evil the paying of salaries or stipulated amounts for their pastors, but their "ablest minister" took a salary! I did not know that Thompson practiced medicine! Of course, back then, anyone could put up a shingle and say he is a doctor for there were no state licensing or requirements. 

Bogan writes further:

"Responsibility for the division into branches of the Old School and New School appears to have been a publication entitled "Simple Truth," authored by Elder Thompson. Another book written by Elder Thompson was entitled "Triumph of Truth." He became a leader of the Old School Baptists and opposed all religious and moral associations except the church. A meeting of the Lebanon Baptist Church was held on Saturday, October 1, 1836. With this gathering a decision was made to divide the church into two distinctive branches. The Old School branch with sixty-one members formed the West Baptist Church. The New School branch with forty-two members formed the East Baptist Church."

The division in the Miami Association in the 1830s was devastating. The New School party grew and the Old School party died. Old Indian Creek Church, mentioned above, though once a thriving church, died over both the anti mission controversy and the Two Seed controversy. The churches that at first sided with the Old Schoolers were very numerous up and down the Miami River, from Cincinnati, through Hamilton, Middletown, Dayton, etc. I have seen old minutes of the Old School faction of the Miami Association for the late 19th century and seen where in Butler county, where Hamilton is located, there were numerous Hardshell churches. Today there are hardly any. What a falling away! This has a lot to do as a result of the work of Wilson Thompson.