General Six-Principle Baptists

Overview

The Six-Principle Baptists were the first Baptist association in the Americas. The "six-principles" adhered to are those listed in Hebrews 6:1-2:
* Repentance
* Faith
* Baptism
* Laying on of hands
* Resurrection of the dead
* Final judgment

Hebrews 6:1-2 "Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection (maturity)—not laying again (not disrupting) a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God, of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."

*Note: Greek "kataballo", casting down or overthrow. It means, do not cast down or destroy the foundation already laid of the six fundamental principles.

History

The history of General Six-Principle Baptists in America begins in Rhode Island in 1652 when the historic Providence Baptist Church, which was once associated with Roger Williams, split. The occasion was the development within the congregation of an Arminian majority that held to the six principles of Hebrew 6:1-2 - repentance from dead works, faith toward God, the doctrine of baptisms, the laying-on-of-hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Of these, the laying-on-of-hands was the only one really distinctive to this body, and that only because it was advocated as mandatory. This rite was used at the baptism and reception of new members symbolizing the reception of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some Calvinistic Baptist churches were also "Six-Principle," but they did not survive as a separate body. Even the influential Philadelphia Baptist Association (org. 1707) added an article concerning laying-on-of-hands to their 1742 reprint of the 1689 London Baptist Confession. A distinguishing feature of these "General" Six-Principle Baptists was that they would not commune with other Baptists who did not observe the laying-on-of-hands. In 1656, members left the Newport, Rhode Island church, the church of John Clarke & Obadiah Holmes, and formed a second Six-Principle Baptist Church.

Churches were planted and conferences rose up in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. The Rhode Island Yearly Meeting was formed in 1670, becoming the first Baptist association in America. It was incorporated in 1895 as the "General Six-Principle Baptist Conference of Rhode Island". The word "Hope" and the emblem of the anchor (both taken from Hebrews 6) on the flag of Rhode Island attest to the historical influence of Six-Principle Baptists in that state. The "New York Yearly Conference" was organized around 1824. After 1865, it became known as the "General Six-Principle Baptist Association of Pennsylvania". The Six-Principle Baptists of New England were called "General"," distinguishing that they held the general view of Christ's atonement (making salvation possible for all men) rather than the particular view (that He atoned for the elect only).

Six-Principle Baptists also existed in England, probably pre-dating those in America. The "Standard Confession" of 1660 specifies the doctrine of laying-on-of-hands. According to Henry Vedder, "In March, 1690, the churches holding these views formed an Association. This continued with varying fortunes for some years; at its strongest, numbering but eleven churches in England, though there were others in Wales when the Calvinistic Baptists withdrew, and the rest of the churches were gradually absorbed into the General body [Baptist Union, "rlv"] ."

In 1954, the Rhode Island Conference lifted their ban on communing with other Christians, preparing the way for their assimilation into the broader Baptist community. One of the last historical churches to survive is the [http://www.stonylane.org/ Stony Lane Six Principle Baptist Church] in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. According to their pastor, the Rev. John Wheeler, "We keep the name only for historical purposes and to our knowledge we are the last church to use it in our official name. We don't include it in our stationary etc., nor do we hold to the specific teaching of highlighting Hebrews 6:1-2 over other parts of Scripture." According to Albert Wardin there is also "...one church, located in Pennsylvania, which still carries Six Principle in its name, but its current pastor does not observe all the six principles." This, the Pine Grove Church of Nicholson, Pennsylvania, and the Stony Lane Church, were the last two churches to be considered historically Six-Principle Baptist.

Current status

In 2001, a group of ministers from various other Baptist denominations, led by Dr. James W. Clifton, after email conversations with the Stony Lane pastor, consented to reorganize the Six-Principle Baptist denomination.

The reorganized group subscribes to God as ruler of all and to the absolute authority of Holy Scripture. No "direct" connection exists between the former and current bodies. The General Directors are Dr. Kenneth C. Allen, Sr., and Dr. James W. Clifton.

External links

* [http://www.spbaptists.info Denominational Home]
* [http://www.newbeginningsbaptistchurch.4t.com New Beginnings Baptist Church]
* [http://www.lfbc.org/pbc/pbc31.htm Philadelphia Confession of Faith Article 31]
* [http://www.reformedreader.org/ccc/tsc.htm The Standard Confession 1660]
* [http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/flags/ri_flag.htm Rhode Island State Flag]

ources

*Annual Reports, Rhode Island Conference
*"History of The General or Six Principle Baptists in Europe and America", by Richard Knight
*"A Short History of Baptists", by Henry Vedder
*"Baptists Around the World", by Albert W. Wardin, Jr.
*"Dictionary of Baptists in America", Bill J. Leonard, editor
*"Doing Diversity Baptist Style", by Albert W. Wardin, Jr.
*"The Baptist Heritage: Four Centuries of Baptist Witness", by H. Leon McBeth