An Outline of Baptist History

-20- educated men and leaders were scarce. Campbell began to feel that creeds were devices. He advocated that the only creed was the Bible. He was ordained Janu- ary 1, 1812. When his first child was born, he faced the problem of baptism, whereuponhis father, his wife and he himself were baptized by a Baptist minister. near Washington, Pennsylvania. The Brush Run church of which Campbells' were members withdrew from the Presbyterian Synod and became Baptists in 1813. They applied for membership in a Baptist association in Pennsylvania and in spite of Campbells' independence and stubborness, the church was received. The followers of Alexander Campbell, called the Church of Christ, had the following distinctive teachings: 1. Baptism is a saving ordinance without which none can be assured of salvation. 2, Prayer for sinners is not needed and has no efficacy. 3. Faith is a mere mental assent to certain great historical facts. . The Hardshell Secession. The Hardshells are the anti-mission or anti-effort people. The movement began with a triennial convention in 1814, when ''The General Convention of the Baptist Denomination in the United States for Fore ign Missions" was formed. The object of this convention was to direct "the energies of the whole denomination in one sacred effort for sending the good tidings of salvation to the heathen and to nations destitute of pure gospel light."' As the name suggests, it met once in every three years. The opposition to this movement called ''Primitive" or "Old School"! Baptists, opposed any missionary effort. The conditions werefavorable to this move- ment. (1) There was a lack of trained and efficient leaders. (2) The organiza- tion of the Triennial Convention had not gone far enough to guide and support the general missionary program. (3) Alexander Campbell opposed calls and claims for gifts of money in the churches. He opposed the payment of salaries to pas- tors. His influence helped the Harshells in their opposition in giving money fo r missions and missionaries. (4) Ignorance, prejudice and covetousness consti- tuted a sufficient basis and cause for the opposition which was so widely encoun- tered, By 1840 the separation of the Harshells from the Regular Baptists was complete. . The Slavery Question. When the Triennial Convention met in 1844, the following, carefully worded, resolution was adopted: "Resolved, that in co-operatin g to- gether as members in this convention in the work offoreign missions, we dis- claim all sanctions either expressed or implied, whether of slavery or an ti- slavery; but as individuals we are free to express and to promote elsew here our views on these subjects in a Christian manner and spirit." The Southern body of Baptists asked the Executive Board of the Convention w hat it would do about appointment of missionaries who held slaves, and its re ply was the following: "If any one who should offer himself for a missionary, having slaves should insist on retaining themas his property, we could not appoint him. One