Today's Primitive Baptist Missionary Movement
(Compared with the Black Rock Address)

 Would the Brethren who wrote or supported the Black Rock address support today's Primitive Baptist Missionary movement? Even though some in today's movement have implied their compatibility with those Brethren, the truth is that the present movement among us has very similar markings to the early 1800's movement, which the Black Rock brethren opposed and finally declared against. The similar marks are: Soliciting funds through various sales schemes (today tapes and books); emphasizing the spread of the gospel and outreach ministries; perverting the teachings on giving (tithing) to gain monetary support; teaching that the commandments commonly referred to as the great commission was given to the church rather than to the Apostles; having ministers conferences and meetings to train their followers. Basically these same marks re-appeared around 1900 in the progressive movement. Both the 1800 and 1900 movements culminated into further departures from the faith and practices and gave faithful brethren of that time no other course but to oppose the departures.

 Some of those supporting today's movement claim harmony with the supporters of the Black Rock Address, indicating that the errors made in 1832 are being avoided by closely following historical and scriptural precedence.  "Great effort was made to build these churches while following historical and biblical precedence. Historical study was made of the Baptist division of 1832 so that the errors of that day would not be repeated" ( Elder Gus Harter, Atlanta Newsletter Jan 1997).

 An honest study of the historic Black Rock Address and other Baptist writings of that time will show today's movement are, in principle, repeating the same errors that were committed in the 1800’s and are not in harmony with the Black Rock brethren nor the scriptures relating to the ministering of the Word. The Black Rock Brethren correctly defended and were in harmony with the Scriptures which the Primitive Baptists have held to and have resisted every effort to change until recently.

 In the Black Rock address it is stated:

", the Lord has manifestly established the order, that his ministers should be sent forth by the churches. But the mission plan is to send them out by a mission society."

 The present day movement has alluded to this quote to emphasize that the ministers involved in the Philippine endeavor worked out of local churches and not out of distinct separate societies or "outside boards". The impression is left that all is well because the new movement is working out of local churches.  "We did not form mission boards but worked out of local churches"(Elder Gus Harter, Atlanta Newsletter Jan. 1997).

"Obviously for a people who had always believed that the church is the highest ecclesiastical organization on the earth, the idea of having ministers approved, sent and sponsored by an outside "Board" was cause for alarm." (Elder Lasserre Bradley Jr. Baptist witness, Nov. 1996)

"Did some fail to rejoice when the Lord opened a door in the Philippines and a number of our brethren went there preaching without the direction or support of man made societies but with the approval of their own local churches."(Elder Lasserre Bradley Jr. Baptist Witness, Nov. 1996)

 The Black Rock brethren's opposition was to a man made system (any men, churches included) implementing a money based mission society (in or out of the church) that departs from the order the Master commanded.  They stated "But we at the same time contend, that we have no right to depart from the order which the Master himself has seen fit to lay down, relative to the ministration of the word".  In their address concerning missions they clearly emphasized the belief that the Spirit of God should be the guiding influence in determining where a minister labors and gave no indication that it should be part of a churches duty to sponsor any outreach mission program. The Black Rock brethren's statement  "ministers should be sent forth by the churches" is expanded and clarified as to their meaning by re-emphasizing where the ministers were to be sent.  "Again, each gospel church acts as the independent kingdom of Christ in calling and sending forth its members into the ministry." [Not into the mission field or on mission trips but into the ministry to be guided by the Spirit of God!]

 The scriptures teach that churches should recognize God called men among their membership by ordaining and sending them into the Ministry. God does the calling and the Holy Spirit still influences/guides the minister into his field of labor. A minister's field of labor should not be under direct control of the church or any other set of men. This is not to say the church has no rights of discipline concerning where a minister labors. A minister has no authority to take part in the services of churches not in fellowship with his home church without ample evidence of God's Spirit moving and a general support or willingness of orderly brethren to try the spirit and see if the Lord is truly in the matter. Neither should he generally visit and fellowship those that clearly entertain unscriptural practices in their services. The present day movement is more in line with the Landmark Missionary Baptist church than with the Primitive Baptists in the area of missions. The Landmark Baptists opposed other Missionary Baptists (Southern Baptist) in the mid 1800s because of their belief that the separate mission board/society was not scriptural. They held the view that the local church was given a commission to spread the Gospel and each local body should therefore be active in church sponsored missions, foreign and domestic. As far as I know their Doctrine and practices are not presently or ever have been such that any orderly Old Line Primitive Baptists would embrace them in church fellowship.

 There are some doctrinal points being taught by the Present day Movement that the Black Rock Brethren did not believe. (1).The Commandments commonly referred to as the great commission were given to the church and not to the Apostles.  "In Matthew 28:19-20, baptism was given as a church ordinance and inseparably linked to baptism was the command to teach all nations. You cannot accept baptism as a church ordinance without accepting that the command to teach all nations is also addressed to the church." (Elder Gus Harter, Atlanta Newsletter Jan. 1996)

 The Black Rock Brethren wrote: "that we [ministers] do regard as of the first importance the command given of Christ, primarily to his apostles, and through them to his ministers in every age, to "Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," and do feel an earnest desire to be found acting in obedience thereunto, as the providence of God directs our way, and opens a door of utterance for us. They believed the minister should go 'as the providence of God directed." [NOT THE CHURCH DIRECTING OR SPONSORING]

 (2) Tithing. It is being taught that members should give a percentage of their income on a regular basic.   "In other scriptures we find other purposes for funds including the support of the ministry (I Cor 9), aid for evangelistic work (Phil 4) and the practical need for places of worship. The determining factor in the amount we should give is stated "...as God hath prospered." This teaches percentage giving. In the Old Testament they gave 10%. It is my personal practice that if Old Testament saints gave 10%, what we have is far better and therefore I ought to give at least that much." ( Elder Gus Harter, Atlanta Newsletter Feb. 1996)

"But what is necessary, to follow a biblical pattern, is to give with regularity, proportionate to our income and with generosity. I Corinthians 16:2,3." (Elder Gus Harter, Atlanta Newsletter Dec. 1995)  A person giving in that manner by his own decision is one thing but to imply or teach God's children that they are under scriptural obligation to do so is leading them away from the truth. As in past movements among us this false teaching usually accompanies those promoting a change in our practices. It is always a good indicator that something is wrong and we should be very watchful of those promoting the change. Here is what the Black Rock Brethren said about giving "We also believe it to be the duty of individuals and churches to contribute according to their abilities, for the support, not only of their pastors, but also of those who go preaching the gospel of Christ among the destitute."

  "Formerly not only did preachers generally feel themselves bound to devote a part of their time to traveling and preaching among the destitute, but the people also among whom they came dispensing the word of life, felt themselves bound to contribute something to meet their expenses."

There is no indication by their statement that there should be an official gathering of money or tithing (percentage giving) in order that the church have the money to support missionary or outreach activities to the world. But their belief was the same as today's Old Line Primitive Baptists, which is; it is our responsibility to give, according to our abilities, to support the church, the deserving poor among us, and our ministry.

 Another thing being taught is Lay hands suddenly on no man does not refer to ordinations. It is being taught that this scripture (I Tim 5:22) is teaching us not to be hasty in the discipline of Elders and is not referring to the hasty ordination of men at all.   "The expression, lay hands suddenly on no man, simply means to not receive an accusation quickly." (Elder W.R. Daniels, In the Master's service Dec. 1995)   I have never read in Old Baptist history or heard any Old Baptist ever teach it that way. The Black Rock brethren wrote "his [Missionary] leading motive, judging from his movements, is not love to souls, but love of fame; hence his anxiety to constitute churches, even taking disaffected, disorderly, and as has been the case, excluded persons, to form a church, in the absence of better materials." Judging from their statement I believe they would view the new teaching concerning laying on of hands an attempt to justify unscriptural hastiness and reveals the movement they faced then and today's movement have even more similarities in that those that went to the Philippines rushed to ordain men, establish churches etc. Some of those ordained in the Philippines have since come under question as to their qualifications for even being considered for ordination and raises serious questions as to the intent of those that carried out the work.

 A final quote from the Black Rock address further reveals that the present day movement is infected with more of the same diseases the leaders of the 1800 movement were plagued with.

   "The missionary, instead of going into such neighborhoods as Christ's ministers used to visit, Where they would be most likely to have an opportunity of administering food to the poor of the flock, seeks the more populous villages and towns, where he can attract the most attention, and do the most to promote the cause of missions and other popular institutions."

 This is true in today's movement also. There are some among us that are hungering and thirsting for numbers more than righteousness (staying in the old paths). The present domestic and international radio program conducted by Elder Lasserre Bradley Jr. seeks to be in large markets (populous areas) here and abroad. Self-promoting letters of praise are frequently read to the listeners to gain support for their effort by implying their success and usefulness. The program appears to be edited, produced and marketed by offering for sale, self-promoting, expository sermon series. The Program is promoted as an outreach ministry and has taken on the same flavor and tactics of most other worldly religious radio programming in the use of 800 numbers, credit cards, operating the program with a deficient of thousands of dollars and increasing appeals for monetary support. I realize my stating this about the Baptist Bible Hour will disturb many who go by the name Primitive Baptist and will bring charges of jealousy from many quarters. This would not be new because all those in the past that led or supported departures in faith and practices, have always accuse the one’s opposing them of jealousy and being against the spread of the Gospel. As God as my witness I do not desire any harm or tearing down of any of God's people that I feel faithful brethren must oppose.  My little efforts have already estranged me from many of those that I count as dear children who have become followers of those attempting to change the Primitive Baptists. I'm convinced that many of them would once have firmly opposed any 'outreach ministry' or use of worldly tactics knowing that it is in direct opposition to the plain teachings of the scriptures, which teach us that the world knows us not, and we are to be a separate people and come out from among them. (1John 3:1, IICor  6:11-18).

 In conclusion: the Black Rock brethren, just as true old Baptists are today, were in support of true biblical missions which took place during the birth and infancy of this nation. Most old Baptist Ministers that traveled on foot and horseback to preach the Gospel during the early part of this nations history did so because they were lead by the Spirit of God. Ministers such as Elder Wilson Thompson tried the spirit of Modern Missionarism and rejected it. We should be thankful for those that blew the alarm in that day as the seeds of the 1800's mission movement were being sown by those that repeatedly tried to institute a itinerant church/associational mission plan by encouraging the association to gather money and send out ministers to destitute churches within their bounds. This plan found strong objections among the Kuhukee assc. Members and was not generally implemented until the cry of works! Works! Works! (Spread the Gospel) far exceeded the sounds of alarm and many timid souls halted between two opinions and became polluted by designing men. The exact situation now exists among the Primitive Baptists in America. Many good Old Baptists have been captured by the "syren song of "No danger"; be not deceived; it leads to destruction --Elder G.M. Thompson."  O Lord may it not be too late to repent and avoid thy wrath on an unwatchful people.  Elder Claude Mckee

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