The Non-Protestant Baptists
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Uniformity fosters intolerance: the greater the uniformity, the greater the intolerance. All challenges against the prevailing church’s creeds and dogmas are viewed as a threat. Thus followed the insatiable drive for uniformity. If universality was ever to be established, it had to come by the power of the Princes and Emperors of the State and enforcement through the power of the magistrates. This was the “god of Uniformity” on whose altar all liberty was to be forfeited and sacrifices made of dissidents. The god of unity and conformity was the true god of the State. To be other than that of the official church was treason. Abuse and death was the sentence. It had the aim of putting into repression every man, woman, and child.
Edward Hutchinson in his 1676, “A Treatise concerning the Covenant and Baptism” wrote of the Baptists:
“Nor is it less observable, that whereas other reformations have been carried on by the secular arm, and the countenance and allowance of the magistrate, as in Luther’s time by several German princes; the protestant reformation in England by King Edward, Queen Elizabeth, &c.; and the Presbyterian reformation by a parliament, committed of estates, and assembly of divines, besides the favour and assistance of great personages; you (Baptists) have had none of these to take you by the hand; but your progress was against the impetuous current of human opposition, and attended with such external discouragements as bespeak your embracing this despised truth to be an effect of heart-sincerity, void of all mercenary considerations. Yea, how active has the accuser of the brethren been to represent you in such frightful figures, exposing you by that mischievous artifice to popular odium and the lash of the magistracy; insomuch that the name of an Anabaptist was crime enough, which doubtless was a heavy obstacle in the way of many pious souls!”
Antiquity of the Baptists
Robinson commented that succession with the apostolic churches was the holy grail of the Reformation churches. Having a physical lineage from the first century is only one part of succession. Succession must also include doctrine, practices, policies, and morality. As observers of history we can see the church entering into the Dark Ages and then emerging one hundred years before the Reformation. In the centuries between, the church lay hidden, but evidence of it is seen in the blood of martyrs, in the testimonies of its enemies, and in the names and titles given to it. When the church emerged it was just as glorious as from the beginning. Protestants insist that the greatest corruption of the church was in this age. In doing so they are fraudulently identifying the church with the Roman Catholic Church. But for the true
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About the Book
This book is a detailed study on the nature of the Church as found in the New Testament. It is also a defense of the antiquity of the Baptists, showing that it is of neither Protestant nor Reformation era origin. It contains an analysis of those people and churches known as Anabaptists.
About the Author
William Bekgaard has pastored Missionary Baptist Churches for above 32 years. He is a graduate of California Missionary Baptist Seminary with a BTh. and has taught in these churches for 40 years. He has published a booklet "The Unique Baptists," the books "A Study Guide for the New Child of God" and "The Man of Sin in the Book of Daniel," and an unpublished work "Understanding The Parables without Allegory."