The Origins Of The Particular And The Reformed Baptists
This question was recently put to me by a friend:
”Jared are you on the same side with Sam Renihan and his father on the issue of origins of Particular Baptists and Reformed Baptists?”
My answer (with a few additions for the sake of clarity):
No, we certainly would not be in agreement with the Reformed Baptists’ view on these matters. The reformed Baptist movement began in England during the 1950’s, taking over historic Particular Baptist churches and ‘unreforming’ them to align with their teachings. The group of Particular Baptist churches they commandeered belonged to the Metropolitan Association of Strict Baptist Churches (London). The church that I pastored for twenty years was organized in 1866 and her first pastor was the man who spearheaded the beginning of that Association in 1871.[1] According to the original Articles of Faith and Association Rules, the teachings held by the Reformed Baptists were denounced[2] and any church subscribing to them would be expelled from the Association.[3] The Reformed Baptists exchanged these Articles of Faith for the “1966 We Believe” and the “1689 Baptist Confession”, changing also the Rule, now prohibiting the original Particular Baptists from joining the Association.[4] They also changed the name to The Association of Grace Baptist Churches. Today, in England, the label ‘Grace’ is synonymous with ‘Reformed’, identifying the newly founded denomination of the Reformed Baptists. They are certainly not one and the same with the historic Particular Baptists.[5] However, the Reformed Baptists, especially those who live in the United States,[6] sincerely believe they are the heirs of the English Particular Baptists, and therefore study its history and doctrine within the vacuum and according the prejudice of the Reformed Baptist movement. Sadly, there are so few historic Particular Baptist churches remaining today, their history, doctrine and heritage has been swept away by the prolific writings of the Reformed Baptists.
As for the origin of the 17th century Particular Baptists, I believe it is far more complex than the explanations given to it by the Reformed Baptists. They tend to nurture idealistic and unrealistic notions of 17th century religion, elevating the men and their writings to a mystical status. Particular Baptists have never idolized confessions of faith or 17th century religion.
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[1] Pamphlet produced by and detailing the origin of the Metropolitan Association of Strict Baptist Churches, 3 February 1871—“A strong desire for closer union among the Strict Baptist Churches in London and its suburbs has long been felt by the ministers and others. At the Anniversary Services of the Church in Silver-street Chapel, Notting-hill, last November, this desire was publicly expressed by some of the ministers then present.” The aforementioned church in Silver-street is the Bethesda Chapel, now located on Kensington Place. The first pastor of this church was David Crumpton. It was at the Anniversary Service of this church, presided over by David Crumpton, that the above mentioned Association should be formed. “Subsequently, several of them met at Mr. Anderson’s, Deptford, and it was thought desirable to convene a meeting of ministers, which was held in the vestry of Salem Chapel, Meard’s-court, on Friday, January 27th, 1871…Mr. Crumpton was unanimously requested to preside, and Mr. Briscoe to take minutes of the meeting. After prayer by Mr. Anderson, for Divine guidance and blessings it was unanimously and most cordially decided that the following Resolutions, with a Circular of Invitation to the several churches then represented by the presence of their Pastors, or expressing approval, be drawn up by Messrs. Crumpton and Briscoe, and printed, and by them, as Chairman and Secretary, pro tem., signed on behalf of the Meeting, and forwarded to the said churches, with a request that they, in church-meeting duly assembled, would appoint persons as their Messengers, according to the ratio named in Rule 4, and authorize them, in conjunction with their Pastors (if any), to attend the Adjourned Meeting, to be held (D. V.) in Soho Chapel, Oxford Street, on Friday, the 10th day of March, 1871, at 3 o’clock in the Afternoon…” At the Adjourned Meeting, David Crumpton was appointed President of the Association.
[2] A Doctrinal Basis was proposed to the churches subsequent to the Adjourned Meeting at Soho Chapel, Oxford-street, on 10th March 1871. However, at the aforementioned meeting, “Mr. Hazelton in directing attention to the doctrinal basis suggested the following addition to Art. 6: ‘And that saving faith is not a legal duty but the sovereign and precious gift of God.’ The mover and seconder agreeing to add the same to their motion it was unanimously carried.” The churches belonging to this Association rejected the doctrines of Duty-Faith and the Free-Offer of the gospel. They belonged to the Hyper-Calvinist section of the Particular Baptist churches. The Reformed Baptists, on the other hand, subscribe to the teachings of Andrew Fuller and are fierce proponents of the doctrines of Duty-Faith and the Free-Offer of the gospel. If living during the 19th century, the Reformed Baptists would have belonged to the other side, members of the Baptist Union and in fellowship with Spurgeon’s Tabernacle.
[3] At the same Adjourned Meeting, held at Soho Chapel, Oxford-street, on 10th March 1871, “Mr. Crumpton moved, Mr. Hazelton seconded and it was unanimously resolved: ‘That should a Minister or Church depart from the Doctrinal Basis of the Association he or it be expelled on proof of the fact.’”
[4] To my knowledge, this is an unofficial rule and I know of it by personal experience. Bethesda Chapel was a member of the Association of Grace Baptist Churches until the year 2013 (or thereabouts). The church by this time had returned to its founding principles, subscribing to high views of sovereign grace. The Association sent a representative to enquire of our teachings, after which strongly advised we resign as members, since there were no other churches belonging to the Association subscribing to high views of sovereign grace. Ironically, the church which started the Association and made for its doctrinal basis high views of sovereign grace was the last church to be a member of the Association still holding to that doctrinal basis.
[5] The Particular Baptists belonging to the Andrew Fuller line of teachings were in membership with the Baptist Union (Spurgeon’s Tabernacle among them). By the 1870’s, this Union had received into membership churches belonging to a wide range of teachings (Arminianism and Theological Liberalism). Although Spurgeon attempted to “clean up” the Union in what became known as the Downgrade Controversy, in the end he lost the war. Only a small number of Fullerite churches resigned from the Union, thus ending this historic line of Particular Baptist churches. However, those churches belonging to the John Gill line of teachings remained either independent of Associations and Unions, or formed their own groups. The Metropolitan Association of Strict Baptist Churches was one of them. Henceforth, if it is a stretch beyond reason to identify the Reformed Baptists with the Fullerite section of Particular Baptist churches, it is fantasy to identify them with the Gillite section of Particular Baptist churches.
[6] In an interview with David Dykstra and Larry Vincent, conducted by BaptiBot ConfessingBaptist, a YouTube channel dedicated to “reformed resources from a 1689 perspective”, the origin of the RB Movement in America may be traced to the year 1967 (not 1633). Nevertheless, even if the Reformed Baptists in America could trace their roots to an earlier date, it would obviously be to churches organized in that country. Why are they leaving the shores of America and laying claim to the history and gospel heritage of another nation?
Jared Smith served twenty years as pastor of a Strict and Particular Baptist church in Kensington (London, England). He now serves as an Evangelist in the Philippines, preaching the gospel, organizing churches and training gospel preachers.
Jared Smith on Eldership
Jared Smith on the Biblical Covenants
Jared Smith on the Gospel Law
Jared Smith on the Gospel Message
Jared Smith on Various Issues
Jared Smith, Covenant Baptist Church, Philippines
Jared Smith on Bible Doctrine
Jared Smith on Bible Reading
Jared Smith's Studies in Romans
Jared Smith's Hymn Studies
Jared Smith's Maternal Ancestry (Complete)
Jared Smith's Sermons
