THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST -- June 9, 1932

ARTICLE  I

I believe I will write a few short articles for The Primitive Baptist, and if the editor thinks they will do a little good and no harm, he can let his subscribers read them. I believe I will select the Church question as my subject, and discuss it from a scriptural and a historical standpoint. It is a well established fact in the minds of all who are acquainted with our people, that they claim to be the Church of Jesus Christ. I will tell in a brief way why we claim to be the Church, and if those who differ with me think it is little and narrow in us, I will just say, that a good woman believes that her husband has just one woman for his wife, and she sincerely believes that she is that woman. I will not be so vain as to think I will do the subject justice, or that I will produce some new argument on the subject.

When we say we are the Church, we just mean what we say, and we do not, and we did not, say that those who do not belong to the Primitive Baptists are not children of God. Our position is that you must be a child of God before you are fit to belong to the Church of God. We do not teach that you must be a member of the Church in order to be a child of God. To be a child of God you must be born again--you must be a new creature--then, and not until then, are you eligible for membership in the Church of God.

I am sure that the Son of God has one wife only, and I am also sure that His wife knows her Husband; and why should it be thought a thing incredible for her to say, "I am my Beloved's. and my Beloved is mine: He feedeth among the lilies."--Songs vi. 3. A good man that is married has just one wife, and the good woman that is married has just one husband. The good woman will say, "I am my Beloved's, and His desire is toward me."--Songs vii. 10. The Church has never had but one Husband. and Jesus Christ has never had but one wife; and He speaks of her in a very lovely, and endearing way--"My dove, my undefiled is but one she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yea the queens and the concubines, and they praised her."--Songs vi. 9. The Church has just one mother. Everything else claiming to be the Church are the daughters of men (Gen. vi. 2). The Church is the only one of her mother. Being the only one. there is not another. The Church is not lust one member, but it is just one body. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body so also is Christ."—1 Cor. xii. 12. Thee mother of the Church is the covenant of grace. "But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of as all."--Gal, ix. 26. Children, according to Arminianism, have two mothers. While they are the children of the bondwoman, they are required to work to be the children of the free woman; and what they do while the children of the bond woman, is the cause of their being born of the free woman. The covenant of grace weans her children, while the covenant of works never weans her children, for her breasts are dry (Hosea ix. 14). Sarah raised Isaac on the breast. This I know to be true, because she weaned him. Hagar raised Ishmael on the bottle, and he cried for water when thirsty. "And she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink."--Gen, xxi. 19. Hagar reared her child on the bottle, for it was water he desired. Sarah reared her child on the breast, for he desired the sincere milk of the word (1 Pet. ii. 2).

The Prophet Isaiah called the Church a house. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."--Isa. ii. 2, 3. I hardly think that those who read their Bibles will call in question the statement that the prophet had allusion to the setting up of the Church of God. Mountain in this text could mean empire or some human government, while hills could mean the organizations of men belonging to the governments of this world. It will be remembered that the devil took Jesus up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed them all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and the devil said to Him, "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."--Matt, iv. 9. The Church of Jesus Christ was set up above all the kingdoms of this world. "Many of the daughters of men (Gen. vi. 2) have done virtuously, but thou (the Church) excellest them all."--Prov, xxxi. 29. As the Church is above all the governments and empires and organizations of men. secret or otherwise, the children of God who are members of the Church must go down hill to get into them; and as they go down hill, they are going away from the Church, for the reason that the Church is exalted above the hills, or any thing that men or any set of men can possibly set up. The prophet well said. "My people hath been lost sheep-their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains, they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place."--Jer. 1. 6. Do you want to be taught the way of the Lord more perfectly? Come let us go up to the house of the Lord-our heavenly Father lives there, our Eider Brother dwells there and the Holy Spirit abides there. Wonderful teachers are! "He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths." David had faith in God as his teacher. "Lead me in thy and teach me; for thou art the God of my salvation."--Psa. 5. David also believed that the Lord is good: "Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will He teach sinners in the way. The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies."--Psa, xxv. 8-10. If you love and want to find the place where the honor of the Lord dwelleth, just find the Church of God. "Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth."--Psa, xxvi. 8.

The house or Church of God is unlike all other houses or churches; it cannot be moved, for it is firmly fixed and built upon the tried and sure foundation. God is her refuge, His Son is her strength, while the Holy Spirit is her comforter--a very present help in trouble. She has no reason to fear, though the earth be removed, and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains and governments of earth assail her, yet "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early."--Psa, xlvi. 4, 5.

ARTICLE II

The Church of God is His Church. He bought it with His blood (Acts xx. 28). He set up His Church at the proper place and time. It was not set up before He said it was, neither was it set up since He said it was. The Church He set up has been in the world ever since He set it up. This being true, there has never been any reason why something else should be started called the Church of God or of Christ. The holy scriptures are the inspired words of God and the only perfect history the children of God have of the Church of God. What the Bible says about who set up the Church, and where and when, is absolutely authentic. It would be extremely ridiculous and absurd to say that God inspired some prophet or New Testament writer to tell us when and where it was set up, and then some uninspired writer claim that the scriptures teach that it was set up at some other place and time. Again, if God inspired men to tell us that the Church lie set up would stand forever, and, for this reason, should never be destroyed, we must believe what the inspired and holy men of God said, or believe that the inspired men of God lied about it. "Let God be true, but every man a liar."--Rom, iii. 4. The work of God is perfect. "He is the Rock, His work is perfect."--Deut, xxxii. 4. The wise man said, "I know that whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it that men should fear before him."--Eccl, iii. 14.

I will now proceed to prove by the Bible that God set up the Church, and that He did it that men should fear before Him; and also that the Church God set up has existed from the day He set it up until the present time, and that when Jesus comes to this earth again lie will find a people of the same faith they were when Jesus ascended to His Father. I will quote Dan. ii. 44: "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." If there was not another text in all the Bible that said one thing about the setting up of the Church, this one proves, first, that God set it up; second, that it was set up in the days of these kings; third, that it should never be destroyed; fourth, that it should not be left to other people; fifth, that it should stand for ever. In order to prove that the Church or kingdom that the God of heaven set up is nor here now, you will be compelled to prove that the kingdom that God said shall not be destroyed has been destroyed, and that the kingdom He said shall stand for ever has not stood for ever. I shall prove that the kingdom or Church that God set up is an everlasting kingdom. "His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and His dominion is from generation to generation."—Dan. Iv. 3. I shall prove that the kingdom God set up is from generation to generation. "His kingdom is from generation to generation."--Dan, iv. 34. If it can be proven that there has not been a succession of generations or families, then it can be proven that there has not been a succession of the kingdom or Church. Daniel did not say one thing about a certain thing: one time and then say a different thing about the same thing at some other time. Read what he said in Dan. vii. 14: "And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, and all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed?" The kingdoms, empires and governments of men have come and gone, but the kingdom of God--the government of God--was set up upon an immovable foundation, and it has not and cannot be moved off of its foundation. In speaking of this kingdom Daniel said, "But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever."--Dan, vii. 18. Paul said, "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."---Heb, xii. 28. Daniel said the saints shall take the kingdom of God. Paul said the saints received it. It is theirs by gift. They should appreciate it and lovingly abide in it. "Fear not, little flock: for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."--Luke xii. 32. The Church God set up, and then gave to His people, was to be possessed by them forever. It is theirs to this day, and will be theirs as long as time lasts.

Like Solomon's temple, it is all glorious within. Her clothing, her origin, her doctrine and practice is unlike all the so-called churches of this world. "The King's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee."--Psalms xlv. 13, 14. The Church of God has clothing, or garments, that are unlike the clothing of the daughters of men. "All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad."--Psalms xlv. 8. Her food, her drink, is unlike the food and drink of the institutions of men; one is heavenly and spiritual, the other is natural and earthy. The doctrine and practice of the Church is different from the doctrine and practice of the institutions of men.

ARTICLE III

The Church of God is the New Testament Church and the New Testament Church is the Church of God. This Church is a model Church in origin, doctrine and practice; and any organization that does not conform to this original and divine model cannot be the Church of Jesus Christ. The model and pattern of this Church has riot and cannot be changed and altered and be an exact pattern of the original, If it was necessary for the Church in the days of our Saviour to be as the Son of God said it was, is it not just as necessary in our day? He said; "My kingdom is not of this world." If it was not of the world then, can the kingdom be of the world now and be like the original? If it is not like the original, then it must be of the world. If the Church now is of the world and the Church God set Up was not of the world, then the Church now is not like the original. If it is not like the original, then it is not the original. If it is not the original multiplied, then its origin is wrong, and therefore it is a counterfeit. Jesus said, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matt. xvi. 18. Jesus built His house or Church on a sure foundation --a tried stone. "Therefore. thus saith the Lord God. Behold. I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste."--Isa. xxviii. 16. God laid the foundation of His Church in Zion and no other foundation can any man lay. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."--I Cor. iii. 11. The Church of the New Testament was builded upon this Rock, which is Jesus Christ. The Church was being built by the Son of God while He was here in person, when He said to Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my Church." He did not mean He would set up His Church on the day of Pentecost. Jesus organized His Church before He was crucified, while He was in this world as a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief. It was not the work of the Holy Spirit through the twelve apostles to set tip the Church on the day of Pentecost, or any other day. It was the work of God, His Son and the Holy Spirit to set tip the first Church. This being done by the Holy Three in One, the apostles and the ministers of God had a pattern to go by. The apostles went from country to country and from city to city, establishing churches, according to tire original pattern. "And God hath set some in the Church; first, apostles; secondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that, miracles; then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."--I Cor. xii. 28.

God set up the kingdom or Church when? In tire days of these kings. God set up the Church where? In the top of the mountains. Before God of heaven set up His Church His Son must be baptized, and there was just one preacher to baptize the Son of God, and that was John the Baptist, who was a Primitive Baptist minister. "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John."--John i. 6. John was the messenger prophesied about by the Old Testament writers. John was not sent to regenerate, or impart spiritual or eternal life to sinners. It was impossible for John to do a thing of that kind, but it was possible for him to "prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple." Matthew said, "For this is he of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John."--Matt. xi. 10-13. The kingdom or Church dates back to the days of John the Baptist. If there was no church or kingdom in John's day, how could there have been a least in the kingdom of heaven? and how could the kingdom of heaven suffer violence? and how could the violent take it by force?

As the Baptists were so closely connected with the first Church that was set up, I see no impropriety in saying it started with them; and as it started with them and shall not be left to other people, it is absolutely with them right now. It is said by some that John was called a Baptist because he baptized by immersion. That might have been true in John's day but it is not so in our day.

Matthew said, "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."--Matt, iii. l.. 2. This is the kingdom Daniel told us about. This is the kingdom Isaiah said should be established in the top of the mountains. John the Baptist, no doubt, was baptizing the children of God at that time. preparatory to the setting up of the Church of God. John did not set up or organize the Church, but he did baptize the material used by the Son of God in organizing it. If this is objected to then John was not sent to prepare the way of the Lord, as the prophet said he was. John being a Baptist, is it a thing incredible for those he baptized to be considered Baptists also? It is stated that there went out to John, Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. Little infants were not baptized by John. Those he baptized went out to him; they confessed their sins, and infants eight days old cannot do either. When John saw many of the Pharisees, who were Absoluters, and Sadducees, who did not believe, in the resurrection of the dead, coupe to his baptism, he said unto them, "0 generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" To them he said, "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance." And then he tells them what not to do: "Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." John said, "I baptize you with water," and the Pedo-Baptists say with water means that John sprinkled the water on them. I remember seeing my mother dye our wearing apparel with dye of some kind, but she did not sprinkle or pour the dye on my trousers, she put the trousers in the dye; but she dyed my clothing with dye. John baptized with water, but he put his subjects in the water, which could not be true if he sprinkled or poured the water on the people. The people John baptized with water were the children of God by regeneration; and the people of God are the only people that are eligible for baptism and church membership. Jesus Christ had a fan that was peculiarly and exclusively His. "Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor, and gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The work of the Son of God was His, and no one else could do it. He begins His work "in you," and in this work the sinner is thoroughly purged from his sins It ;vas this kind of people that John was baptizing in the river of Jordan. "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John. to be baptized of him." John, like the servants of God now, felt his unworthiness and "forbade Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered Him. And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove. and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Jesus the Son of God at about the age of twenty-seven years went to John the Baptist and was baptized to fulfil all righteousness.

 ARTICLE IV

We now have the founder and head and lawgiver of the Church baptized by the Lord's own messenger, and God placed His seal and heavenly approbation on it. The Father was so well pleased with what His Son had done as he came up out of the water the heavens were opened unto Him and out of heaven a voice said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." I am sure that when the children of God are baptized, by thc same authority that Jesus was baptized, the heavens will open unto them and the smiles and benedictions of heaven will be theirs to richly enjoy, and the applaudit will be, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." Jesus was not only the Son of God, but He was the servant of God. "Behold my servant. whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put nay Spirit upon Him; He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles." --Isa. xlii. 1. The Spirit of God abode upon Jesus when He came up out of the water. Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil, where He fasted forty days and forty nights. He was afterwards an hungered, and the devil, or tempter, said, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Jesus said to the devil, "It is written, Man shall not .live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." After the Saviour had answered the devil as He did, "Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple." The devil then told Jesus, "If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down." The answer of Jesus was, "It is written again, Thou shah not tempt the Lord thy God." The devil next taketh the Son of God into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and, in his devil-like benevolence and liberality, he told the Saviour, "All these things will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me." Just notice the answer of the Son of God: "Then said Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve." At this juncture the devil leaveth Him and the angels of God "came and ministered unto Him." Isaiah saw this trial and temptation of Jesus, and for that reason spoke of Him as a tried stone. It was this tried stone that the prophet saw laid in Zion.

We have followed Jesus through His temptations and through Jerusalem into Galilee, and leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim. This was done that the prophesy of Isaiah might be fulfilled. "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." John told the people to repent, for the kingdom is at hand. Jesus, after the Baptist had baptized Him, preached the same thing. After preaching that the kingdom was at hand, Jesus tells us next about calling His apostles; and Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease among the people. "And there followed Him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem. and from Judea, and from beyond Jordan." Let it be understood that Jesus is not now in Jerusalem, for it is here stated that the people followed Jesus from out of Jerusalem. Daniel said the God of heaven would set up His kingdom in the days of these kings, or kingdoms. Isaiah said He would do this--establish His Church in the top of the mountains, or above the kingdoms, governments, empires and institutions of men. I have never thought that the Church was really organized in Jerusalem, but in the Mount of Olives. "And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain; and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him." "And Cod hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."--i Cor. xii. 28. Paul tells when the Son of Cod did this. "Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill (or fulfil) all things). And He gave some (churches), apostles; and some (churches), prophets; and some (churches), evangelists; and some (churches), pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."--Eph. iv. 8-12. It is a matter of fact that the Son of Cod set up or established His Church sometime and somewhere between His descent to earth and His ascension to heaven, or else He did not fulfil all things, as stated above. It was the Cod-man that was to set up the first Church and not the Holy Spirit and the apostles. After the first Church was set up, then the apostles had a pattern to go by. We have no apostles now, but the · ministers have their inspired writings to go by. If Judas was a member of the Church, then we should know that the Church was organized by the Son of Cod before Judas hanged himself. "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me."--Psa, xli. 9. There can be no question about David having reference to Judas in the above quotation. Let me quote from David again: "For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it; neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him; But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company."--Psa, lv. 12-14. "The first Church organized by the Saviour had Judas in it."--Church Order, p. 16. The sermon the Son of God preached in the mountain is food for thought and sweet meditation. The length of the discourse shows plainly that it was an extraordinary occasion. This one sermon contains three chapters and one hundred and ten verses and was addressed to His disciples in a church capacity. How touchingly appropriate are the words of Jesus to His disciples! "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted, Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city, (Church) that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."--Matt. v. 1-16. The city mentioned in this sublime sermon of our Saviour is "The city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel." --Isa. Ix. 14. "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified."--Isa, lxi. 1-4.

ARTICLE V

In the sermon on the mountain our Saviour gave instructions to the Church to let her light so shine before men, that they may see her good works, and glorify her Father which is in heaven. He said to the Church, "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house." All that were in the house had the light and the Son of God told them to let it shine, "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."--Phil. ii. 15. The Church is a house of light and all her material are children of light. Before the new birth they were children of the flesh; children of wrath even as others. "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in. the Lord; walk as children of light."--Eph, v. 8. When the Church walks as her Husband commanded her to, she is letting her spiritual light shine; and when the members are walking and living right, they are letting their spiritual and religious light shine. As the Church of God is a city of light, there is no hiding place in it for wrong doing. "There is no dark. ness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves" (in the Church of God).--Job xxxiv. 22. "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven (Church); but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."---Matt, v. 19. This indeed would be queer language for any man to use if he knew there was no Church or kingdom at the time he used it. Jesus knew He, at that time, had a kingdom or Church, and so He said, "For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." It is claimed by some that the expression found in the disciples' prayer, "Thy kingdom come," means that k was not yet set up, or in existence. I am at a loss to know how something could come that did not exist. To my mind it only means that the disciples were to pray for it to come with power. "That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power."--Mark ix. 1. When our Saviour said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you," He was not trifling with, or mocking, His disciples. Just as well try to prove that His righteousness and all these things did not exist as to try to prove that His kingdom did not exist. If it did not exist at that very time, then the Saviour told, or instructed, His disciples to seek something that was not in existence, and that He knew they could not find. In Matthew vii. 21 we have this language, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." If there was no Church or kingdom when the Saviour used this language, then those who did the will of God did not enter the kingdom of God, as He said they would. Paul said, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son."--Col. i. 13. I know this cannot be the kingdom mentioned by the Lord; Jesus Christ in His sermon in the mount, for He told His disciples they entered it by doing the will of their Father. In our Saviour's sermon in the mount He called the Church exactly by the name the prophet said it would be called. "And they shall call thee, the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel."--Isa. ix. 14. It is said: "He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him."--Matt. v. 1. Let me quote Psalm ii. 6. "Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion." Jesus was to come suddenly to His temple, or Church (Mai. iii. 1). "And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness."--Mai, iii. 3. Let us read what Jesus said in His wonderful sermon: "Whose fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor (people), and gather. His wheat (people) into the garner (Church); but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."--Matt, iii. 12.

The holy man of God was to come to His temple, not in a chariot drawn by fine horses, but upon an ass. If we cart, find when this text was fulfilled we may know assuredly that the Church was then in existence. "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee; He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt, the foal of an ass."--Zech, ix. 9. We cannot expect to find this scripture fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. This scripture was actually fulfilled during the life of Jesus on earth, and, of course, before His ascension to His Father. "On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet Him, and cried, Hosanna; Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. And Jesus, when He had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion, behold thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt."--John xii. 12-15.

John the Baptist said, "He that hath the bride is the Bridegroom; but the friend of the Bridegroom, which standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice; this my joy therefore is fulfilled."--John iii. 29. Bride means a woman newly married, or a woman ready to get married; while bridegroom means a man just married, or fixing to get married. The holy scriptures do not teach that the Son of God died and then married, but they do teach that He was married to His Church, or wife, and then died for His wife. "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it."--Eph, v. 25.

ARTICLE VI

The Church certainly existed in the days of John the Baptist, for he said, "He that hath the bride is the Bridegroom." Matthew said, "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."--Matt, xi. 12. If the kingdom or Church was not in existence from the days of John the Baptist, then Matthew was mistaken in what he said about it being in existence from the days of John the Baptist until now; he also was mistaken about the Church suffering violence, and also about the violent taking it by force. The inspired prophet said, "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for .ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.--Isa. ix. 6, 7. Unto us, the Church or people of God, a Child is born, a Son is given. John, in the book of Revelation, saw the Church under the law. "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."--Rev, xxi. 2. Again John said, "Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife."---Rev, xxi. 9. John was a minister of God, and he had eyes behind and in front, and he looked behind him and saw the marriage of the Son of God to His wife. "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him; for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready; and to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. And He saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And He saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."--Rev. xix. 7, 9. John was evidently writing about the same thing Matthew was when he said, "And while they (the Jews) went to buy, the Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage; and the door was shut."--Matt, xxv. 10. John said, "And His wife hath made herself ready." Yes, she was attired as a virtuous woman. "The king's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace."--Psa, xlv. 13-15. These scriptures absolutely fulfilled during the personal ministry of the Son of God on earth, which is incontestable evidence of the existence of His Church at that time. He said, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."---Matt, xvi. 18. It is just as true now as it was when Jesus said to Peter, "Upon this rock I will build my church." He is still building His Church. "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."--Psa, cxxvii, i. Christ is the power and wisdom of God (1 Cor. i. 24). "Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: She hath killed her beasts: she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table."--Prov. ix. 1, 2. This scripture was fulfilled while Christ was on this earth. The gospel table was ;veil furnished by Him. The food was blessed by Him. He did not suffer anyone to go anywhere for food. He took the little they had, told the people that were hungry to sit down upon the grass. All flesh is as grass. We must crucify the flesh. Then will the blessed Christ take the bread and fishes and bless them, and then give them to His ministers that they may feed the hungry children of God; and in the end of this heavenly repast they will have twelve baskets full of fragments to feed others on. "She hath also furnished her table." When Jesus said "Upon this rock I will build my church," He was not making the Church; He had already done that. "For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."--Heb. xi. 10. The Son of God is the only man that ever made the woman He married. "For thy Maker is thy Husband."--Isa. liv. 5. The Church of God is the only house that has a living foundation, a living builder, a living head and living material. "To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious."--I Peter ii. 4. The material or members have the same kind of life the builder has. "He that hath the Son hath life."--I John v. 12. "This is the true God, and eternal life." --I John v. 20. "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."--I Peter ii. 5. The house of God, the Church of God, is unlike all other houses; it is a spiritual house. Its life is spiritual; its service is spiritual. "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."--Eph. ii. 20-22. The Lord Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit, is still building His Church on the tried and sure foundation He laid in Zion, as He told Peter He would. "From whom the whole (entire) body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."--Eph, iv. 16. The Church of Christ is the only body "fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth." There is not a joint or coupling but what is well supplied "according to the effectual working in the measure of every part." The Church of God is so perfectly builded, as well as systematically arranged and fitly joined together "in the measure of every part" that it "maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."

The Church that God set up is here today in all her transcendent beauty and juvenile innocency, vigor and strength. She has passed through all the persecution and bloodshed that her cruel persecutors could invent. In the midst of all the debauchery, corruption, fornication and whoredoms, there have been, and are now, true virtuous men and women, and will be while time lasts. Bad men and women have gotten into the Church, as well as wrong doctrine and practice. The statement has been repeatedly made that no one could trace the Baptist Church back to the apostles. We will see about that further on. Church perpetuity or succession is either a Bible truth or it is not. If the holy scriptures teach Church succession, then there have been churches somewhere ever since the first one. "Unto Him be glory in the Church by Jesus Christ, throughout all ages."--Eph, iii. 21. By this text we prove the Church has been here during the past ages, and when the Husband comes again without sin, it will be for the purpose of taking His bride to glory with Him. In the dark days of popery the servants of God could say, "In the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee."--Heb, ii. 12.

Christ is the maker, founder and builder of the Church. The Church is His bride. He is her head and life. The Church is His body, and the body cannot be destroyed without destroying the head, which is in heaven. "Death hath no dominion over Him."--Rom. vi. 9.

In a few articles I will endeavor to prove that the ,Church (now known as the Primitive Baptist Church of Christ) has existed in every age since the day it was first set up. If it can be proven that the Primitive Baptists originated somewhere this side of the apostles, then they are not Primitive Baptists. If this can be done, I want it done at once. Please do not say it can be done and then refuse to do it.

ARTICLE VII

Before I quote one thing or word from an uninspired writer, let me quote a few scriptures from the inspired Book of God.

"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John."--John i. 6. Now, let me read Matt. xi. 11: "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist." Baptist must have been his religious name. The first text says his name was John, the second scripture calls him "John the Baptist." Now, let us read Matt. iii. I: "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea." John was the Primitive Baptist preacher. If you deny this, mention one before him. Jesus Christ was baptized by this Primitive Baptist preacher. Jesus Christ used those baptized by this Primitive Baptist minister in organizing His Church. This I know to be true, for John was sent to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. This he did by baptizing them. This first Church of Christ was a Baptist Church. I intend to prove first by a Missionary Baptist that the first Church, organized by the Son of God, was not a Missionary Baptist church, but an Old Baptist Church.

"Waco, Texas, September 18, 1893--You ask me if I regard baptism administered by Primitive or 'Hard-shell' Baptists as valid. This is a question of great and growing importance; and for years I have given it earnest and prayerful study, weighing everything carefully on both sides, and my deliberate conclusion is that baptism administered by Primitive or 'Hard-shell' preachers in good standing, to a converted believer, is as valid as if administered by John the Baptist, the Apostle Paul, John A. Broadus or Jas. H. Stribling. My reasons are: First, a mistake from honest conviction or prejudice about preaching the gospel to the heathen does not invalidate baptism. If so, the baptism of the three thousand on the day of Pentecost, and the twelve thousand during the first revival at Jerusalem, would be invalid. For nothing is clearer in the New Testament than that Peter and all the apostles were at first Anti-Missionary or 'Hard-shell Baptists.' And the whole church at Jerusalem were so intensely Anti-Missionary or 'Hard-shell' that as soon as Peter returned from his first foreign mission tour the church arraigned him for trial. The third reason is that our Primitive or 'Hard-shell' brethren have never rejected any ordinance or doctrine of the Baptist Church, as founded by Christ and the apostles one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two years ago on the banks of Jordan. It is a mournful fact that while some of our 'Hard-shell' brethren have become fatalists, scores of our Missionary Baptists are only immersed Methodists in the Baptist Church. I repeat, our Primitive brethren have not rejected any doctrine or ordinance of Christ; but with wonderful tenacity they cling, as we do (oh, my!--Joe) to all the doctrines and ordinances as they came from heaven, pure, simple, holy, sublime."--R. C. Burleson, in Baptist and Reflector, April 28, 1892.

To be sure, the first Church Christ organized was the Church of Christ, but a Primitive Baptist preacher did all the baptizing, and Christ and the apostles organized the Church; therefore, it was the Church of Christ, organized by the Primitive Baptists.

I have in my hand a debate between Walker and Alexander Campbell, June 19 and 20, 1820, from which I will quote as Providence may dictate. Page 262 he says: "The Baptists can trace their origin to apostolic times, and produce unequivocal testimonies of their existence in every century down to the present time" (1820). Again. same page: "I now proceed to show that the Baptists have existed in every century from the Christian era to the present day." It was in 1820 he said this. Once more, "First century, Anno Domini 33, we read, in a well attested history, of a large Baptist Church which was formed and exhibited as a grand model, by the immediate agency of the Holy Spirit. On the day of Pentecost three thousand souls were illumined, led to repentance, converted, baptized, and added to the Church."

On page 263 we have this statement, "The second church planted on earth was also composed of men and women who professed faith before baptism; consequently, a Baptist Church." On same page he says, "The third church of note, and in order of time, was the church at Caesarea, a church interesting to us, inasmuch as it was a Gentile church, or a Gentile people composed it. This church was evidently a Baptist Church." On page 264 we have this language, "The testimonies of God are the foundation on which our faith and practice rests; therefore, when we quote other authorities, it is not as foundations, on which the faith of any should rest, either in whole or part, but to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, who ignorantly assert that the Baptist sentiments are novel, or that the sect is of modern date."

In speaking of the second century, Mr. Campbell said, p. 265, "There is no difference in the practice of the Church in this century from the preceding. Most of the distinguished men, who lived at the beginning of it, had seen and heard the apostles, consequently amongst the churches, there was yet no great falling off in the external ordinances. Justin Martyr's public defense of the Christians of the second century is a sufficient document to show that the Baptist sentiments at that time universally prevailed."

On page 277 Mr. Campbell says, "Thus I have shown that even in England, the Baptists have continued from the apostolic times to the present day, as also that there have been in every century advocates for Baptist principles." And "That the Baptists commenced on the day of Pentecost and have continued from that time till now."

Mr. T. R. Burnett, in his debate with D. B. Ray, p. 7, says, "With Alexander Campbell, we say the kingdom was with the Baptists before he and his coadjutors started the reformation, and (they) are yet a part of that kingdom, though entangled in some errors."

Accepting Campbell as authority, the Old Baptists started on the day of Pentecost as a people, and as the Churc5 of Christ and it continued with them for one thousand eight hundred and twelve years. I will allow Mr. Burnett to tell us how Alexander Campbell and those with him took the Church from the Baptists. Ray-Burnett Debate, p. 47: "Our confession that the Old Baptist Church of A. Campbell’s day (not the Missionary sprout) was a part of the kingdom, seems to trouble him greatly. He would like for us to assert that those Old Baptists were not in the kingdom at all, and that Alexander Campbell was not; then he would have some reason to say that a new church was set up. We cannot accommodate him. This old body (not the Missionary sprout) was a part of the kingdom, and A. Campbell was a member of it, and was never excluded from it, but reformed the best portion of it and moved it back to the Bible."

We will let Mr. Burnett speak once more "The Baptists have connection with the apostles through their line of succession, which extends back three hundred and fifty years, where it connects with the Waldensian line, and that reaches to the apostolic day. This is not a Baptist. line, but the Baptists have connection with this Pine, and through it have connection with the apostles. We were talking about successional connection. The Baptists also have connection with the apostles in what they teach and practice."--Christian Messenger. Dec.8, 1886.

I will quote once more from once more from Campbell: "Hence, it is that the Baptist denomination, in all ages and in all countries, has been, as a body, the constant asserters of the rights of man and of liberty of conscience. They have often been persecuted by Pedo-Baptists; but they never politically persecuted, though they have had it in their power." --Christian Baptism, p. 409. On page 406 he says: "In the year 1300, and for several centuries before, all the citizens of Germany, France, Spain, England, and, indeed, the whole western Roman Empire, with the exception of a few Baptists, were initiated into what has been called the Church, as soon as the parents could have the rite performed."

The base calumny that is constantly heaped upon the Old Baptists suggests to me the propriety of modestly making a succinct and brief excursion into their history and proving by their religious opponents that when they assert their claims to being the Church of Jesus Christ, they are doing no more than they often do themselves. When any man asserts that the Primitive Baptists are of modern origin, that they were born in 1832, or that they started with John Smythe in 1607, or with the Munsterites, or with Roger Williams, you may know that that man is absolutely ignorant of the facts of history, or he has no respect for his word.

I will quote from Church Perpetuity, page 59. John C. Ridpath, a Methodist, said, "I should not readily admit that there was a Baptist Church as far back as A. D. 100, though without doubt there were Baptists then, as all Christians were then Baptists."

Professor of history in Boston University, H. C. Sheldon, who was a Methodist, said, "A portion of the so-called Anabaptists who appeared in Germany in the third and the following decades of the sixteenth century, might be called Baptists."

It would be impossible for Baptists to appear at any time or place if they were not there. The professor of church history in the Gettysburg Lutheran theological seminary, said, "The Baptists were originated by some Swiss, about 1523."

We will now allow H. M. Scott, professor of church history in the Congregational theological seminary, in Chicago, to tell us about the Baptist Church: "It arose in Zwickaw, Saxony, A. D. 1520, under the Zwickaw prophets, Storch and others."

We will now ask Prof. A. C. Lewis, the historian in the Presbyterian seminary in Chicago to speak: "I regret not being able to give you the categorical answers you seem to anticipate. The questions as put do not admit of short and categorical answers. The first Baptist Church was not formed or organized, but evolved out of Anabaptist antecedents."

The president of the Campbellite College of Bethany says: "The Baptists first appeared in Switzerland. Who founded the first Baptist Church that ever existed cannot be determined."

We will hear A. P. Cobb, the pastor in 1894, of the first Campbellite Church of Springfield, II1., testify: "Was there a Baptist Church when Luther began his reformation? Yes, in Switzerland, 1523; large churches fully organized in 1525-30 in south Germany. Who originated the first Baptist Church? I cannot tell."

The pastor of the first Campbellite church, Ann Arbor, Mich., says, "The Baptists had large churches fully organized between 1520-30 in Switzerland. They were persecuted by both Zwingli and the Romanists. Who originated the first Baptist Church that ever existed? I do not know."

WAS PETER THE FIRST POPE?

I have recently been asked about the claims of the Catholics that Peter was the first pope. The Catholics tell us that the pope is the head of the Church, and that the pope is infallible in his interpretations of the Bible, and that the Catholic church has never committed an error.

The Bible does not say one word about Peter being a pope, or having more authority than did the other apostles. Neither does the Bible say one word about the Church being founded on Peter, as the: Catholics say it was. The Bible says nothing about Peter being the head of the Church. The pope of Rome has construed certain scriptures to teach that the Church was founded upon Peter and that Peter was the first pope. If Peter was the first pope, then the corrupt and wicked people that killed Peter, years after that developed into what is now known as the Catholic church. The pope was a matter of prophecy, and this prophecy was not fulfilled until years after the Catholic church material had killed Peter.

Paul had reference to the pope of Rome, the head of the Catholic church, when he said, "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he, as God, sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." Paul asked the Church to remember what he had told her about the pope of Rome, "Whose coming is after the working of Satan, with all power and signs of lying wonders, with all deceivableness of unrighteousness."

Jeremiah told us about this woman. "Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad."--Jer, li. 7. This is not only true in the United States, but in the entire known world. Catholicism is prospering in the United States as it never has before. As the mystery of iniquity is at work, as it has been for fifty years or more in the United States, Catholic principles are gaining ground by leaps and bounds. The whole religious, political and financial world are drunken on the wine of her fornication. The kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

John saw this whorish woman that some of our people have been flirting with, sitting upon a "scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colors, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness, of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the .earth. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration."

The Old Baptists did not come out of the Catholic church; and for that reason, they are not a Protestant church. The Old Baptists excluded, in 253 A. D., a corrupt element, that had worked itself into the Church, which afterwards became what is now known as the Catholic church. The Catholic church did not exist in Peter's day, and for this reason he did not belong to it, and could not have been its head and founder.--The Primitive Baptist, June 9, 1932.