Today's Primitive Baptists Follow in Footsteps of Early Settlers

Today’s Primitive Baptists Follow in Footsteps of Early Settlers

STAFF PHOTO JASON IVESTER Pauline Wight of Rogers sings with others during a seminar of the history of Primitive Baptist churches in Northwest Arkansas. The June 21 event was hosted by Little Flock Primitive Baptist Church where the 90-year-old Wight attends. Members of her husband’s family were among the founders of the church.
STAFF PHOTO JASON IVESTER Pauline Wight of Rogers sings with others during a seminar of the history of Primitive Baptist churches in Northwest Arkansas. The June 21 event was hosted by Little Flock Primitive Baptist Church where the 90-year-old Wight attends. Members of her husband’s family were among the founders of the church.

"Our hope and peace rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ at Calvary," said Carl Staten, elder of Little Flock Primitive Baptist Church. "He did not make salvation a possibility or probability, but a reality and sure to all for who it is ordained. ... Our Lord said it best, 'It is finished!'"

Staten spoke about the Primitive Baptist faith June 21 at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale. In the Primitive Baptist congregations, pastors are referred to with the title of "Elder."

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The Little Flock church -- and many other Baptist churches in Northwest Arkansas -- descended from the first church in Springdale, then called Shiloh.

"About 180 years ago, a few rustic farmers began to settle a section of land in what is now known as Arkansas -- part of the Louisiana Purchase," Staten said. "They used oxen and mules to try to plow the rocky grounds of Arkansas. The area was still occupied by American Indians. It was a very hard place to live."

Staten put the area's settlement on a timeline with the rest of the nation: The country's independence had been settled through the Revolutionary War just more than 60 years previous. The War of 1812 was fought merely a decade before. The country didn't face the "War Between the States" for 30 more years.

"It would be fair today that some -- if not all -- of the early settlers were religious people," said Allyn Lord, director of the Shiloh Museum.

"The people that came together were primarily Baptist in belief and practice," Staten said. "They were -- by their own definition -- 'Regular' Baptists of the day."

The third church building of that earliest congregation remains standing on the grounds of the Shiloh Museum. People recognize it as the Shiloh Church or the Oddfellows Lodge, but the circa-1868 building's official name is the Shiloh Meeting Hall because three different churches, the Masons, women's civic clubs and more met there, Lord said.

The Shiloh settlement was established in 1838, "and soon afterward, the Shiloh Regular Baptist Church began meeting and was constituted as a body of believers in 1840," Staten said.

William D. Quinton and his wife, Sarah, donated three-quarters of an acre to the church on Christmas Day 1841, to which the original log church was moved, reads a history written in 1978, marking the centennial anniversary of the establishment of Springdale.

John Holcombe became the elder of the Shiloh church, having been ordained in June 1840 at the West Fork Regular Baptist Church. He also served the Little Flock Regular Baptist Church, founded in April 1843.

Other founders of that Shiloh church included Samuel Wheat, William Poston, John Wood and Berry D. Graham, signing the church constitution and Articles of Faith on Aug. 22, 1840. The 1840 documents hung in display in the back of the meeting room at the museum.

"... these simple, biblical statements of doctrine were the core of the lives of those people that founded Shiloh, Little Flock and other assemblies," State said. "This is what made those people the force they were in this area. This is what held them together through trial and war. This is what remains of the truth, doctrine, rule of faith and purpose of worship of the people known today as Primitive Baptist."

Inspired by Scripture

Today's Primitive Baptist Churches do not meet in that original log building or even the Shiloh meeting hall. Primitive means they closely follow the original Articles of Faith set in 1840.

"Our worshippers are not cavemen," Staten said. "They simply follow an unchanging doctrine. The doctrine is not altered. 'Primitive' simply means original. If you attend, you will find differences, but not like the other Baptist churches."

The "Regular" Baptist became "Primitive" Baptist in 1832 when many congregations "adopted various doctrines and practices which differed significantly from Baptist standards," reads a Primitive Baptist website.

In 1900, Northwest Arkansas recorded 27 Primitive Baptist congregations, Staten said. Only two remain: Little Flock and Zion's Rest in Bentonville.

But many people in the area can trace their roots back to that original church in Shiloh, Staten said. "I'm hoping to stir some interest for people to look back to their roots for what they used to believe."

"Through 180 years, the people have been consistent to the historical doctrine that is clearly God's word," Staten said. "It's founded on the Word of God."

The Articles of Faith, in part, state belief in "only one, true and living God"; that "Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are of divine authority and the only sure rule"; and that God created man "good and upright," but by his sin, man has fallen and, without God, is unable to redeem himself.

"We believe that Salvation, Regeneration, Sanctification and Justification are by the Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascension and Intercession of Jesus Christ and that his children are kept by the power of God through Faith and Salvation," Staten read from the articles.

"(Baptists) are similar fundamentally, but our Articles of Faith are different from what they believe," Staten said.

He noted all Baptist churches believe in the Trinity -- "the three-in-one God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost" -- and all are inspired by salvation by grace.

"All are inspired by Scripture, although you might not think that the way some of them act," Staten noted.

The Rev. Mark Lumpkin, senior pastor of University Baptist Church in Fayetteville, a member of the Southern Baptist Convention -- the largest Baptist denomination -- noted several differences between Southern Baptists and Primitive Baptists.

"Generally, they are much more fundamentalist than us -- but many Southern Baptists are fundamentalist, too," he said.

The Primitive Baptists read only from Bibles written in the King James Version, believing it is the most accurate recording of God's Word, Lumpkin noted. Southern Baptists do read the King James, "but we don't believe it's unadulterated," Lumpkin said. "I advocate Bibles written from original language study, not paraphrasing." He listed the English Standard Version, the New American Standard Bible and the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

Lumpkin also said he teaches only through "exposition," through the books of the Bible. He doesn't use other books or commentaries as a launching pad for his sermons. "I teach as much in the Old Testament as the New," he said. "But in everything, I teach that the Father, solely in Christ, saved us. There is no other fulfillment."

"None of us are absolutely perfect," Staten said. "But there is still a standard of truth in the world today, and that's God's word. We still believe it."

Chosen by God

Marty Smith, elder of a Primitive Baptist Church in Atlanta, explained the Biblical and historical perspectives of Election, a main tenant of the Primitive Baptist Faith.

"Biblical election is not voting as in a republic or a democracy," Smith said. "Some people try to explain election by saying, 'God votes for you. Satan votes against you. It's up to you to cast the deciding vote.' That would effectively say that Satan's vote is equal to God's and that man is in control of the situation. The Scripture does not teach this.

"Election -- as taught in the Bible -- means 'selection by God' or 'chosen by God,'" he continued. "Election means that, before creation, God selected a vast number of people from the human race -- not based on their genetics, or their merit, or their choices, but based only on his sovereign purpose -- and gave them to his Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem. It is clear that God elected (selected or chosen) a vast number of particular individuals in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world."

"Election is not usually a popular doctrine," Smith said. "It does not allow much glory for man. But rightly understood by one who realizes his spiritual poverty and need for God's grace, it is a beautiful doctrine."

A common objection says Election is not fair -- that everyone should have a chance at Salvation, Smith noted.

"God operates (and loves) according to his choice not according to chance," he countered.

And what about those who want Salvation, but are not among the select?

"This person does not exist," Smith said. "Anyone who loves -- longing for God's salvation -- is already born of God and thus among the elect (1 John 4:7)."

The 1925 Confession of Faith for the Southern Baptist Convention explains what the Southern Baptists believe.

"We believe in the freedom of faith and God's purpose of grace," Lumpkin said. "God is sovereign and uses us as a means to his end. God works through the elect. But we can't take credit for what the Lord is doing through some pretty dumb sheep like us."

Jesus died for those who believe, but God did not reveal to anyone who that is or how many that is, he continued. "But no one should not hear the Gospel.

"We do not fellowship with those who believe you can lose your Salvation and doubt that Christ will return," he said.

"I have a problem with Election," said Tena Power of Springdale, a member of New Hope Fellowship in Springdale, who attended the seminar on Baptist heritage. "The Scripture quotes what it says, but I can't zero in on it. How do you balance (Election) with 'whoever will, may come'?"

"Are you one of those 'whoevers'?" questioned Marian Bailey of Springdale, a member of the Little Flock church.

"I'll have to study on that," Power said.

"So Jesus Christ stated that his mission to glorify (or raise up) his elect would be completely successful, regardless of the failures of his people, their loved ones, preachers or churches," Smith concluded. "Election, understood in harmony with other Bible truths about Jesus Christ, is beautiful. The message of a completely victorious, successful Savior -- who will not lose even one of his elect sheep -- is a great message. It was believed by the members of Shiloh Church years ago, and I believe it today."

NAN Religion on 06/28/2014

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