Particular Pilgrims: Recent Episodes
Man of God by CBTSeminary
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennesse. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history. Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
"This study of the Loughwood Baptist church has brought to our attention a number of interesting early members. But the Hugenots, Fifth Monarchy men, and woman author weren’t the entire congregation. There were in fact several hundred believers making up the church even in its earliest years."
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
William Allen and John Vernon appear in history as two believing men “of one heart and soul”.
They were the closest of friends in religion, family, the Army, and politics.
For more information about CBTSeminary, visit CBTSeminary.org
John Vernon and his wife Anne had five known children. There names are uncertain but probably were John, Deborah, Caleb, Anne (or as she was called, Nancy), and Mary. Caleb has special interest to us because his father wrote a spiritual biography of him that is the only book I am aware from the 1600s that gives an account of the conversion, baptism, and partaking in the Lord’s Supper by someone under the age of 16. This account was entitled, “The Compleat Scholler or a relation of the life, and the latter-end especially, of Caleb Vernon who died in the Lord on the 29 th of the 9 th month, 1665, aged 12 years and 6 months”.
"Vernon frequently preached against Cromwell’s Protectorate. William Kiffen and others wrote him urging to support it, but his understanding of the relationship between Christ and the English government wouldn’t allow it."
As Samuel Richardson wrote, “there is no form of civil government in Christ’s testament”. We are reminded that it’s often easy to give ourselves to a human kingdom than Christ’s without even noticing.
For more information about CBTSeminary, visit CBTSeminary.org
Some of the earliest members of the Loughwood Baptist church were colorful characters, a few of which we’ll look at next episode. Others were quite unexpected. Who would guess that several prominent families in the early years of the church were Huguenots, French protestants escaping persecution?
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
In some ways, John Ash is reminiscent of Thomas Llewelyn, our previous pilgrim. Both men lived during the same years, were educated at Bristol, became moderately well off, and exercised academic gifts and pastoral heart. But the differences brought into their lives by providence, help us understand the variety of life in the Particular Baptist churches of mid-18th century England.
For more information about CBTS, visit CBTSeminary.org
Today’s story of another little-known Particular Pilgrim concerns Thomas Llewelyn and the use of his academic-oriented gifts. Thomas’ last name “Llewelyn” begins with two “Ls” and gives away his Welsh origins.
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
The 50th Anniversary celebration of the Baptist Missionary Service was held on May 31st and June 1st, and 2nd, 1842, in Kettering. So large were the expected crowds that two meetinghouses were used – one the Baptist and the other the Congregational. On the first day in the evening, Andrew Leslie was asked to preach. His text was Acts 14:27, “and when they had arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles”. Leslie imitated Paul’s actions from the text, and gave a sermon “replete with interesting and important details respecting the East India mission, and the absurd, impure superstitions of the people among whom it is planted”.
For more information about CBTS, visit CBTSeminary.org
"Andrew Leslie’s grief over the death of the one he called “his dear Eliza” hindered him for some years. In the months following his “great affliction” he stopped writing letters and doing most work. But after an initial period of grieving, he began to reengage in his various missionary pursuits. And in a letter written to R. B. Sherring six months after Eliza’s death, he includes some news of a spiritual nature. He tells of 7 baptisms in the previous months."
For more information about CBTS, visit CBTSeminary.org
"Any missionary heading to India had to wrestle with the reality that they could die shortly after arrival. Surely, none of them expected to return to England. Moving to a hot, wet climate without immunities or medical remedies against exotic diseases, was part of the cost of reaching the lost. And Eliza Leslie had considered this."
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"The Leslies grew in love for one another and appear to have sincerely rejoiced at the opportunity to serve God in India, despite the sacrifices this involved. Their first year passed relatively quietly with no children, but with much learning and usefulness."
For more information about CBTS, visit CBTSeminary.org
"We know little else about Eliza’s early childhood, but I have a careful portrait of her drawn about age 18 by William Thomas Fry, an important English engraver. It shows a small, attractive young lady with elaborately curled hair sitting in a chair holding a letter. She bears a pleasant resemblance to her father."
Francis Franklin, father of Eliza, was born on December 9, 1772 in Mursley, Buckinghamshire. He was the youngest of seven children; his parents being William and Mary Franklin. Just before he turned 15 he moved to Oxford to apprentice as a cabinet and chair maker to his cousin, John Payne. He regularly attended the parish church, as he had been raised, but found the Baptist ministry of James Hinton to be more useful. He also took up the habit of reading, especially George Whitefield’s sermons.
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"It is clear from his letters that Andrew Leslie was marked for India as a missionary after graduation from Bristol Academy. But before he could go there were several things he needed to do."
For more information about CBTS, visit CBTSeminary.org
The next person I want to present to you is Andrew Leslie. I’m fairly certain none of you know that name. But I hope that after several episodes, his “hidden life” and “unvisited tomb”, to use George Eliot’s phrases from the last line of her novel “Middlemarch”, will be honored.
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"One of the few original letters I possess from our Particular Baptist forebears is from Robert Hall Jr. to John Ryland. Robert was the youngest son of Robert Hall Sr. whose life we explored. Robert Jr. was blessed with unusual gifts and was one of the greatest preachers of the first half of the 1800s. Like his father, Robert was a Particular Baptist, but with peculiar views on a number of subjects. I expect we will examine his life at a later date. But know that he was constantly in demand to preach."
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
Now that we have begun to see the gifts of John Ryland and his growth in the grace of humility, it is time to tell more of his story. He spent 10 years helping his father in the school and church before his ordination to the pastoral office. During this time, he was frustrated in his inability to find a wife. And so he wrote to John Newton about it, who regularly responded with good counsel.
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
As a young believer, John Ryland struggled with the ups and downs of doubts and assurance. At times, he despaired of being truly converted. He also knew times of considerable confidence that Christ had saved him. His parents both ministered to his spiritual needs and a few months before age 15, his father baptized him, crying out, “Thanks be to God for this boy”. John said he never forgot that sound and was much affected at the time by it. That same month, September, he joined the church. Their records say, “September 11, 1767, aged 14 ¾” which probably shows the unusually young age of his membership.
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"John Ryland was born on January 29, 1753, as the oldest child of John Collett Ryland and his wife Elizabeth. His birthplace was Warwick, where his father first pastored and established his boarding school. As mentioned in previous episodes, John Ryland was often called John Ryland Jr. to distinguish him from his father, though technically, he wasn’t a junior. The son often signed his name this way. Later when awarded an honorary theological doctorate, he was called Dr. Ryland, again to differentiate him from his illustrious parent, who, after receiving his honorary degree, went by John Ryland, M.A."
For more information about CBTSeminary, visit CBTSeminary.org
John Collett Ryland played an important role in English nonconformist education for forty years. Dissenting academies, as they were called, were necessitated by the reestablishment of the monarchy and state church in 1660. Subsequent legislation made it impossible for conscientious dissenters to gain entrance to English universities. Pre-university education was also difficult because any school had to be licensed by the local bishop. But after the 1720s, non-conformist education began to be recognized and even monetarily subsidized by the government. And so by the time Ryland began to teach, he was generally able to freely run his schools.
For more information about CBTS, visit CBTSeminary.org
If you ever heard the name of John Collett Ryland before these podcasts, it was probably in regard to an infamous interchange he was reported to have had with William Carey. There are several accounts of it in print, but I especially like the details and perspectives that Dr. Michael Haykin provides in his biography of John Sutcliff, entitled “One Heart and One Soul”.
For more information about Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary, visit CBTSeminary.org
Having seen how John Collett Ryland’s wide friendships likely influenced his change of views regarding church communion, let us now examine his only writing on the subject. This came in a 3 page broadsheet-style publication in very small type dated June 15, 1772 and signed Pacificus. It was entitled “A Modest Plea for Free Communion at the Lord’s Table; between true believers of all denominations: In a letter to a friend.”
This defended free communion in the form of a letter beginning, “Dear Sir”. It gave eight reasons for Pacificus’ church practice and four answers to objections before a half-page conclusion. Given its small size and presumably small printing, it’s a marvel any of these pieces of ephemera survive. Two copies are known to exist. The first one was discovered by Robert Oliver about 1981.
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
We now turn to John Collett Ryland’s espousal of what he called free communion, also known as open or mixed communion. His position was familiar to his fellow Baptists. For example, John Rippon states, “it is well known that he was what is commonly called, a mixed communion Baptist; that is, a Baptist admitting other good men to the Lord’s table, though in his opinion they are unbaptized."
For more information about CBTSeminary, visit CBTSeminary.org
We continue with our survey of the open and closed communion debate. In 1816, the year following Robert Hall Jr.’s “Terms of communion” came out, Joseph Kinghorn answered Hall with “Baptism, A Term of Communion at the Lord’s Supper”. Kinghorn was the pastor of Norwich Baptist Church and a former pupil of Hall’s at the Bristol Baptist Academy.
For more information, visitCBTSeminary.org
An open communion answer to Booth finally came in the formidable writing of Robert Hall Jr. In the early 1800s he was perhaps the greatest orator in England, possessed a genius mind, and liked to practice radical politics. In 1815 he produced “Terms of Communion”, a direct challenge to Booth’s Apology.
For more information about CBTS, visit CBTSeminary.org
We continue with our survey of the open and closed communion debate in preparation for a later review of John Collett Ryland’s principles and practices related to it. Next I’ll review the interactions of John Bunyan and William Kiffen.
For more information about CBTS, visit CBTSeminary.org
Before I finish the study of John Collett Ryland’s interesting life, I want to explore three topics in which he played a significant or exemplary role. One of these is his view of who was qualified to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Another is his version of High Calvinism and his interactions with William Carey. And finally, there is his important place in 18th-century English education.
For more information about CBTS, visit CBTSeminary.org
"Ryland was a friend to everyone he thought to be a true believer. So he was personal friends with like-minded men such as John Gill and John Brine. But he was also friends with those of a different kind of Calvinism such as Andrew Gifford, Robert Hall Sr., and John Rippon."
For more information about CBTSeminary, visit CBTSeminary.org
The life and ministry of John Collett Ryland will transition our studies away from hyper-Calvinism among Particular Baptists. He is an appropriate figure for this move because he was
close friends with a number of orthodox men with varied views on Calvinism.
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
Hyper-Calvinism in English Baptist circles in the 19th century grew and changed in significant ways. But rather than continue on into the 19th century too far, I want to take another approach to complete, for now, our look at hyper-Calvinism in Baptist circles. Let me point you to a 5 volume study entitled “The Strict Baptist Chapels of England.”
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
William Gadsby was much more than a preacher to his Manchester congregation. He also wrote for them, which is surprising, given his poor education. He produced hymns for their worship, tracts for the controversies of the day, a magazine to edify them during the month, a catechism for their children, and sermons to read.
Gadsby's errors in teaching are not unimportant, but they do remind us that the sovereign God is not bound to only work salvation through men with perfect doctrine. As the medieval saying goes, “God uses crooked sticks to draw straight lines.”
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"Just over a year after John Gill’s death, another man was born who called himself a Strict and Particular Baptist. He stood in the line of those often called hyper-Calvinists. His name was William Gadsby and while he shared the strong Calvinism of Gill, his life circumstances and ministry were considerably different in some ways. If you have heard his name before, it is probably in relation to his well-known hymnal, usually referred to simply as “Gadsby’s Hymns”. He was a man of conviction and generosity; a writer and editor; but foremost a fervent and frequent preacher."
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"The question some of you may have been waiting to hear addressed is the relationship between John Gill and hyper-Calvinism. Does Gill qualify as such? For some historians and theological writers, to ask the question is to answer it: of course he was. For them, Gill is the arch hyper-Calvinist who espoused damaging errors and practices. Others claim that Gill was simply a Calvinist fully in line with the previous generations of Particular Baptists. And there are many others at various places along the continuum between these two poles."
For more information, visit about CBTS, visit #CBTSeminary.org
Today, John Gill is predominantly known for his writings. These amounted to over 10,000 folio pages. A folio was the full sheet of paper, 19 by 24 inches, then used by printers. With this quantity of output, no wonder one man gave Gill the nickname, “Dr. Voluminous”. I’ll describe many of his writings in the next few minutes, but what is not usually appreciated is that virtually all of his publications grew out of his pastoral ministry. John Gill was first and foremost a pastor, serving a specific London congregation and from there made connections with other Baptist churches and orthodox Christians. So Gill’s primary work was feeding the Word of God to the flock of God where he had been placed. And he did this with tireless diligence.
John Gill Pt.3: Death of Elizabeth Gill | Particular Pilgrims
"We learn the most about John and his daughter Elizabeth because when she died at age 12, he preached her funeral sermon. This was printed and he appended a short account of things she told her parents in the days leading up to her death. In the sermon John refers to her as “our dear child”. And at the service he suddenly had to break off his prepared remarks because “my affections will not permit me”. Later, he and his wife collected from memory as best they could what Elizabeth had said and this became “An Account of some Choice Experiences of Elizabeth Gill, who departed this life May 30, 1738.”
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"In the last episode, we learned of John Gill’s early years up to the time of his baptism and membership in the Little Meeting at age 19. And as he suspected, his concerns about being asked to preach were immediately confirmed. For on the very day of his reception into membership, he was asked to expound Isaiah 53 in a private home. The next Sunday he was requested to preach, which he did, from 1 Cor. 2:2, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified”. Other sermons followed. As Graham Harrison said, “His life’s work as a preacher of the gospel had begun."
For more information visit, CBTSeminary.org
"In our studies of 18 th century English Particular Baptists, we now come to one of the most important, namely, John Gill. Highly respected in his own day, he fell from favor in the 19th century. But within the last generation, there has been a resurgence of interest in him and his writings."
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
The Spiritual Life of Anne Brine | Particular Pilgrims
"Anne’s early Christian experience was similar to many others in that immediately after conversion, spiritual joys flooded in. She quaintly says, 'I was for a considerable time, as it were, dandled on the knee of Love. At sometimes I was in such transports of joy as cannot be expressed'. The relief of conscience and clarity of faith overwhelmed her in thankfulness."
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
In this episode on the life of Anne Brine we will hear in her own words of her teenage conversion and then I’ll make a few observations.
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
In this podcast, the particular pilgrims we most frequently study are pastors, ordinarily the leaders in Calvinistic Baptist life. Most of them were married, but we usually know little about their wives. Sometimes we don’t even know their first names!
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"The second man we need to know when considering Hyper-Calvinism in 18th-century English Particular Baptist life is John Brine. He was born in 1703 in Kettering, the same city that produced John Gill and Andrew Fuller. His family was poor and he was soon put to work, not allowing him much opportunity for an education. But he taught himself to read and began a life- long habit of immersing himself in good books. As a young man, he came under the occasional preaching of John Gill, who was six years his senior. Gill later described him as among “the first fruits of my ministry.”
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"In this episode, we will consider the man who is usually credited with introducing Hyper-Calvinism into Particular Baptist Life."
John Skepp | Particular Pilgrims
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"Arriving at a definition of hyper-Calvinism is challenging for several reasons. First, it is a subject that can evoke a strong emotional response, which works against objective historical and biblical study. Second, there is a spectrum of groups given this name, who, in some things, differ widely from each other. Third, there exists a range of modern scholarly definitions that have significant differences between them."
"The historical roots of Baptist itinerancy are found in the Interregnum, especially the period when Cromwell ruled. There was enough freedom for Baptists such as William Kiffen and Thomas Collier to travel widely, preach, baptize, and form churches."
Last time I introduced you to William Crabtree, the first pastor of the Baptist Church in Bradford, who was followed in the ministry by William Steadman. Crabtree’s life is worthy of being told and contains several noteworthy lessons.
"Steadman’s second great labor in Bradford was raising up a Baptist ministerial academy. Some at the time still opposed ministerial training and even those who saw its value were often unable to agree upon a shared vision or raise the resources to implement it. The local Baptist Association had formed the Northern Education Society to do this. And Steadman was their man for the next 30 years, almost single handedly giving it life."
For more information, visit cbtseminary.org
"William Steadman arrived in Plymouth on June 6, 1798 as a pastoral partner to Isaiah Birt. This left the Broughton church without a pastor, a situation that was to continue for eleven years. But in God’s strange providence, the church finally began to grow during this time. The surrounding Baptist pastors cared for the church until 1809 when a graduate of the Bristol Academy, Hugh Russell, was called as pastor. This is a good reminder that God’s church is built, not by men, not even by good, qualified, zealous, and called men, but by Christ and that he uses whatever means and timing he thinks best."
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"During this time, William constantly studied his Bible and read a wide range of evangelical authors. These included Calvinistic Anglicans like William Romaine and James Hervey and many volumes of John Gill and John Brine, the high Calvinistic Baptists. This appreciation for and experience of the value of other genuine Christians, even of a different mind in some things, was always a part of Steadman’s life. While a convinced Particular Baptist with strong evangelistic impulses, he appreciated and cultivated friendships across the evangelical spectrum. In this he was representative of many Particular Baptists."
"There is another pastor connected with late 18 th century Plymouth that need to be highlighted. His name is William Steadman and he is an important figure in Particular Baptist history especially for his ministry in the north of England. Much of what we know about his life comes from a biography written by his son, Thomas, shortly after his father’s death in 1837. It is called “Memoir of the Reverend William Steadman, D. D., pastor of the First Baptist Church, Bradford, Yorkshire, and president of the Northern Baptist Education Society”. It can be found online through Google books."
"Having looked at the life of Isaiah Birt and his friends, let’s return to the Plymouth Baptist Church and Pastor Philip Gibbs. Now that Birt was pastoring the nearby Baptist church in Plymouth Dock, Gibbs needed an assistant. The church was alerted to William Winterbotham of London, and in January of 1790 he supplied the pulpit. His preaching was edifying and the people invited him to become assistant to their pastor which he readily accepted. Before we proceed with the story of his pastoral and political life, here is what we know about his background and conversion."
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"It strikes me as unlikely that a born-poor, persecuted Baptist boy like Isaiah Birt would one day grow up to be friends with a wealthy, high-society, evangelical Anglican named John Broadley Wilson. But that is in fact what happened. At the same time, the story of their friendship illustrates the complementary truth that members of Particular Baptist churches were often a tight knit and even inter-married community."
For more information, visit CBTSeminary.org
"Isaiah Birt’s ministry in Plymouth lasted over 30 years. About 1815, he moved to Birmingham, where his son in the faith and dear friend, Samuel Pearce, had pastored until his death in 1799. For a dozen years, Birt ministered to this body of believers, preaching “only twice on the Lord’s Day” but also on many weekday evenings. Eventually, physical weakness made this impractical. Then he stepped down, moved to London, and preached for others as he was able."
"Last time I presented a study of the conversion and 51 year pastoral ministry of Philip Gibbs at the Particular Baptist Church in Plymouth. The man who baptized him was Crispin Curtis, the pastor of the church in Kingsbridge, who also served for about 50 years. One of the ways the Lord blessed both of these men’s long pastorates was in the raising up of other men. Gibbs and Curtis not only rightly handled the word of truth, but they also entrusted it to faithful men, as the apostle Paul prescribed. One of these faithful men of Pastor Gibbs, was named Isaiah Birt."
"At some point Philip was apprenticed to a tailor in the nearby market town of Kingsbridge. One day around his 15 th birthday, he was at work and a woman member of the Baptist church arrived on horseback. She urged Philip to join her in hearing a minister of the Establishment who had just come to town. His name was George Whitefield. Gibbs agreed and got up on the horse behind her. Now hear him tell the rest of the story..."
'In our last episode I described the non-conformist’s civil disadvantages under toleration that made them English second-class citizens. How did they respond? And specifically, how did the London Particular Baptist pastors attempt to display a proper patriotism and submission to their God-appointed leaders while still appealing for their full civil rights?"
For more information about Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary, visit cbtseminary.org
"Baptists considered the Anglican church not to be a true church and so worshiping there, even on an occasional basis was considered an act of disloyalty to Jesus Christ. But social pressures played on members and pastors alike. And so some conformed, that is, they renounced their nonconformity and rejoined the state church. Because these actions always led to some form of church discipline, they were written in the church books, and we know some of the names and actions involved."
For more information about Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary, visit CBTSeminary.org
"In this final study of Shortwood Baptist Church, I want to introduce you to some of the deacons of the church and various aspects of their lives and ministry. Albion Urdank has researched a number of what he calls “branches” of Shortwood’s deacons. By branches, he means that many of the church’s deacons came from connected family groups. For example, the Flint family was prominent in the church. Thomas Flint was Benjamin Francis’ pastoral assistant and married his daughter Catherine. After Francis died, Thomas became pastor. His son Abraham along with Catherine’s brother, Samuel, both were chosen as deacons. Deacon Abraham’s father-in-law and brother-in-law, both named William Clissold, were also deacons. The younger William had two sons, both of whom were chosen as deacons."
CBTSeminary
Informed Scholarship | Pastoral Heart
Helping the church to prepare men to undertake the full range of pastoral responsibilities in serving Christ and His kingdom.
For more information, visit: CBTSeminary.org
"One of more surprising facts about Shortwood is that it was for many years the largest Baptist congregation outside of London. Given the region’s rural, lower middle class character, it is natural to wonder how did this come about. In Albion Urdank’s socioeconomic study of Shortwood Baptist, he looks to explain this expansion by the forces at work in the politics, economics, and sectarian religion of that place and time. No divine cause and effect is taken into account. Now we know from Scripture that ultimately the reason Shortwood grew was through the blessing of the risen Christ, pouring out his Spirit in the preaching of the Word. People from a variety of backgrounds experienced the washing of regeneration, were baptized, and joined the church. Then by the on-going work of the Spirit they lived out their faith in love toward each other and outsiders."
"In presenting the life of Benjamin Francis, I previously mentioned that there is not a lot of information about the rural Baptist church he pastored in Horsley. But as I continued to research, I found a modern social study of religion and society for that area of England that is called the Vale of Nailsworth. Horsley is one of the communities in the Vale along with Shortwood, Minchinhampton, Avening, and of course, Nailsworth. This is in what is today called the Cotswold region of Gloucestershire in western England, north-east of Bristol and south of Gloucester."
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
"When he had been at Horsley about ten years, the great London Baptist pastor, John Gill, considered retiring from his half-century of pastoral labors due to physical problems. He was over 70 years old. While some of his people wanted him to have an assistant in the ministry, Gill was willing to completely step aside if Benjamin Francis would become his successor. It doesn’t appear that Francis was approached at this time. But when Gill died a few years later in 1771, Francis was asked to preach for the Carter Street congregation. By the next year, the church’s deacons had floated the idea of him moving to London to become the pastor."
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
"One of the highly regarded Particular Baptist pastors in the 18 th century in England and Wales was Benjamin Francis. But there are several challenges to telling his story. The first is that he was preeminently a preacher yet we have no surviving sermons. Second, he was a native Welsh speaker and so most of the hymns he wrote are not in English. Third, he pastored a relatively small and always poor country church about which there is not a lot of information. And finally, there is only one main source of information about his life. This is a biographical account written by his son-in-law shortly after Francis’ death. But what we do know of God’s work through Francis is worth telling and there are several confirmatory lessons that a study of his life yields."
Since the last episode on Samuel Wilson, I’ve obtained one of his published sermons. It’s entitled “A Sermon occasion’d by the Death of the Reverend George Braithwiate, A. M. preach’d at Devonshire-Square, on July the 24 th , 1748. Publish’d at the Request of the Congregation.” Before we learn about Braithwaite, let me explain a bit about funeral sermons.
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
Samuel Wilson was a significant Particular Baptist pastor in London during the second quarter of the 18th century. Though almost unknown today, he was a popular preacher and important author, who died young at the age of 47.
CBTSeminary
Informed Scholarship, Pastoral Heart
Helping the church to prepare men to undertake the full range of pastoral responsibilities in serving Christ and His kingdom.
"David Crosley was not primarily an author; instead he was a preacher who didn’t use notes or a manuscript. And so he only occasionally had anything published. His two most significant pieces of writing were originally sermons that were then written out after-the-fact and published. But he did occasionally produce other things for print."
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
"David Crosley was a traveling evangelist and pastor whose life seems oddly reflective of the Biblical character, Samson in several ways. First, Crosley was reputed to be one of the largest men in the county of Lancashire, England, weighing for many years, it was thought, about 300 pounds. Second, his life though full of godly accomplishments was stained by serious sin. And third, his best-known sermon was a comparison of Samson with Christ."
Informed Scholarship Pastoral Heart
Helping the church to prepare men to undertake the full range of pastoral responsibilities in serving Christ and His kingdom.
Samuel Kilpin had a special love for and ministry to poor children and through them to their parents. Not every man’s pastoral ministry looks exactly the same of course. And Samuel’s attention to the physical and spiritual plight of Exeter’s children is noteworthy. He performed the usual ministerial responsibilities to his congregation, but added to it a specific focus on destitute children. I’ll explore the relationship of Samuel and children under three headings. First,his own upbringing. His life as a child under exemplary Christian parents may help explain, in part, his own desire that others have a similar blessing. Second, his short experience with his own 4 children. And third, his ministry to children.
Last time we learned a bit about how the widows of Particular Baptist pastors were cared for in western England in the early 1800s by examining a letter in regards to Elizabeth Kilpin. Her husband was Samuel Kilpin. And we will see that his ministry had some special emphases. But before we look at those, let me give you a short biography of him with my attempts at accurate dating. There are several birth and death dates for Samuel. Some of this relates to the fact that as a dissenter, his information was not added to the books until later. For example, his pastor, Joshua Symonds, registered his birth on Sept 3, 1887, when Samuel was 13. Mistakes in memory and in writing easily occurred.
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
"In 1807 the Particular Baptist churches in Bristol and the west of England formed what they called “The Baptist Western Society for the Relief of Widows and Orphans of Ministers of that Denomination”. In the later 18th century and all through the 19th, social welfare in England was typically administered by groups of people bonded by a common interest. It was the age of benevolent societies. And the Baptists participated in this. Most of you will have heard of the Baptist Missionary Society formed in 1792 by William Carey, Andrew Fuller, and others to bring the gospel to the nations. Well, the Western Baptist Widows Society was similarly formed for the purpose of financially supporting the widows and children of Baptist ministers who had served in western England."
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
"One of the few original letters I possess from our Particular Baptist forebears is from Robert Hall Jr. to John Ryland. Robert was the youngest son of Robert Hall Sr whose life we explored recently. Robert Jr. was blessed with unusual gifts and was one of the greatest preachers of the first half of the 1800s. Like his father, Robert was a Particular Baptist, but with peculiar views on a number of subjects."
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
Samuel Medley lived at the peak of the Age of Letters. In the 1700s, the art of letter-writing was an essential part of being an educated man. And so, of course, Medley wrote and received correspondence. As we have mentioned in the past, some of his compositions are in rhymed or poetic form. Others, especially those more formal, are of course in prose.
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
"There is another hymn of Samuel Medley’s that I want to introduce to you. It has a personal connection for my wife and me and so I want to share it with you. It was originally entitled, “The Wisdom and Goodness of God”. It is one of my wife’s favorite hymns and one she wrote a paper on for Dr. Michael Haykin in her classes at CBTS. I’ll be using some of the fruit of her research in this episode."
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
Samuel Medley’s hymns were first published during his lifetime. I have a modern reprint of the “second edition, enlarged” from 1789, that contains 77 hymns, their titles and Scripture texts. Some of Medley’s hymns were used by John Rippon in his famous hymnal of about the same time. Then, after his death in 1799, a much larger collection was gathered and printed in London in 1800. It contained 232 hymns.
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
"In his sermons, Samuel Medley directly addressed the unconverted. He is sometimes presented as a High Calvinist and perhaps he was of a sort, although I don’t think we have enough sermon material to make that judgment. Being limited to only two specimen sermons is inadequate. But what is clear from those two is that he did not ignore those outside of Christ. In his association sermon preached at North Wales in 1779, he deliberately speaks to the lost several times. Listen in as he calls to them while extolling what he called God’s “sparing goodness”, that is, his long-suffering toward sinners."
Confessional, Affordable, Theological Education
CBTS is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing Affordable Online Theological Education to Help the Church in its Calling to Train Faithful Men for the Gospel Ministry.
Our episode today tells the story of Samuel Medley, a man whose story in several respects parallels that of John Newton, the famous author of Amazing Grace. These men lived at the same time and spent their early adult years at sea. Both were saved in dramatic circumstances, and both became pastors and hymn writers. And much less importantly, the drawings and paintings of them made during their lifetimes show them wearing the same style of wig!
Robert Hall Sr’s most important writing was “Help to Zion’s Travelers.” Having recently finished re-reading it, I want to give you an overview of this valuable book and make some observations.
My copy of “Help to Zion’s Travelers” is an 1814 printing that claims to be the First American Edition. It was published by John Paradise in Alexandria, VA, and printed by J. Rakestraw of Philadelphia. John Paradise was the second pastor of the Baptist Church in Alexandria from 1811 to 1816 when he resigned due to ill health. There is a record that shows him to be a witness in the manumission of several black slaves. Since there are known to have been black members of the church, it seems likely that this Virginia Baptist pastor was against slavery. Joseph Rakestraw was a long-time, prominent Quaker printer in Philadelphia who bought some of his equipment from Benjamin Franklin.
Robert Hall spent 38 years ministering to his flock in Arnsby. He was a sought-after preacher whom God blessed with what Andrew Fuller called “the conversion of great numbers.” He was also esteemed for the loveliness of his personal character and life. Fuller again described his “unaffected humility” that “concealed from the world, and almost entirely from himself” his virtues and talents. Despite the educational disadvantages of being a conscientious dissenter, Hall demonstrated a strong mind and discipline in study. He was especially helped by the writings of Jonathan Edwards and found both doctrinal and practical ministerial clarity in such volumes as “The Freedom of the Will.”
As I mentioned last time, Robert Hall Sr. had a great-grandson named Robert Hall Warren, who wrote a family history after finding some old and forgotten papers. The book emphasizes Robert Hall Sr. and his illustrious son, Robert Hall Jr. Some of the biographical content is well-known. But some aren’t, and one special transcription is of Robert Hall Sr’s “license to preach” in Arnsby. The entire license is quoted, and it is dated April 18, 1757. So this licensing occurred about four years after Robert first came to the church.
Robert Hall is an underappreciated pastor who played a vital role in preserving and propagating healthy Particular Baptist church life in the 1700s in central England. He is often referred to as Robert Hall, Senior, because he had a more famous son identically named, Robert Hall, and who is known, of course, as Robert Hall, Junior. Another way they are differentiated is that the father is called Robert Hall of Arnsby. Arnsby is the very small village where he ministered for almost 40 years. Even today there are only about 350 people who live there, 8 miles south of Leicester.
We continue with becoming acquainted with the small and rural but long-lived Particular Baptist church at Weston-By-Weedon. It is encouraging to see that over the years, the focus in the church book is spiritual things. Over time, some congregations begin to spend their time, money, and memories on externals, especially buildings. But the records of Weston By Weedon for several centuries show a consistent concern about the truly important core of true religion – conversions, baptisms, practical love including gifts to the needy, holiness, and the calling of officers. Let me give you a number of examples of their healthy church life. Many of these will strike a chord from your own experience. At least one is quite different. But let’s continue to get to know these believers.
We continue with the Particular Baptist church at Weston-By-Weedon, by examining their early document they referred to as their articles. We would consider these something like a church constitution. Joseph Lea, pastor of the church and author of its history, introduces these articles in this way: “the articles are in the very neat handwriting of John Stanley; they are without date and from the substance of them and their introductory words, we presume they were not drawn up till after the church had been in existence some years, and pastor and people felt themselves passing away."
We are learning about the small Particular Baptist congregations centered around Weston-By-Weedon in Northamptonshire, England. In many ways, their story is probably the more typical one compared to the few more famous men and churches in the 17th to 19th centuries. I say this simply because Baptists of these times didn’t generally have the same opportunities or standing as their neighbors. To be a dissenter was to be a second class citizen in significant ways. And yet the Lord protected and even prospered this set of churches for several centuries.
For more information visit: https://cbtseminary.org|
For the past year, I have been introducing you to important English Particular Baptist pastors and poets of the 18th century, mostly from outside of London. But I want to remind you that the vast majority of our like-minded brethren of the time are unknown to us. Unless they had special gifts or blessings from God, most labored in faith without fanfare.
As explained before, Gifford’s friends were almost all outside of Particular Baptist circles. I noted his personal friendship with George Whitefield and his preaching for him. Whitefield was, of course, already famous. And with other early friends such as Sir Richard Ellys, it seems that Gifford’s mental gifts, manner, and spirituality gained him connections in prestigious places. This is somewhat surprising since he remained a staunch dissenter. But his life was filled with service to good causes, including those not in precise alignment with his own religious convictions.
We continue the story of Andrew Gifford the Younger as he began his pastoral ministry at Little Wild Street church in London. In 1729 he preached on probation to the congregation with a view toward being called as pastor. His ministry was well received and a unanimous call was made by the church. Gifford accepted in a letter dated Dec 27, 1729. Shortly after, according to the church book, he was invested in the pastoral office.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Gifford admired Whitefield and after the evangelist’s death, published a book of 18 of his sermons. In his preface to them, Gifford wrote as follows: “This poor orphan’s plea is that it attempts to preserve the genuine remains of the one who has incontestably proved himself the destitute orphan’s friend”.
Now all this should strike you as odd. Since when did an 18 th century Particular Baptist pastor fill in for an ordained Anglican priest-evangelist? And what did Gifford mean by emphatically calling himself an orphan? The answers to these perplexities will become clearer when we understand Gifford’s story.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
This was a time of persecution against dissenters from the English church and his father was, you may recall, often hunted and jailed during this time. And Emmanuel, even as a boy, supported his father’s work. A story is told of him acting as a watchman for his father as he preached out of doors to the Kingswood coal miners. He was only 7 at the time and because it was so cold his coat froze to the ground and he could not properly warn the meeting. And so, his father was taken into custody.
Caleb Evans lived during the emerging strength of the Age of Reason or as it is often called, the Enlightenment. It was an intellectual movement that challenged long held scientific, governmental, legal, and religious beliefs through the use of reason and empirical discovery. Its focus was on the natural world as understood without the helps of divine revelation. And so it produced philosophical and religious results contrary to orthodox Christianity.
He was educated at first under the hand of his father and Pastor Foskett. But he was then sent to London for further education because it was clear he was a very gifted young man. So in 1753, just 15, he entered Mile End Academy in London. He attended Little Wild Street Church, and sat under the ministry of Samuel Stennett. On Nov 29, 1753, aged 16 he was baptized “on profession of faith with repentance” and then “submitted to the ordinance of laying on of hands” and was received into full communion, or as we would say, membership.
Hugh Evans came from a line of Baptist pastors. His grandfather, Thomas Evans, was licensed to preach during the Commonwealth period and led a Welsh parish until the monarchy was restored. In 1662 he was put out of his position after which he joined a Baptist church in Pentre, Wales, and became their pastor. Thomas’ eldest son was named Caleb. He succeeded his father as pastor and remained there until his death. One of Caleb’s sons was Hugh, the subject of our study. He was born in 1713 and given an excellent education under the care of a nearby dissenting minister.
For more information visit: https://cbtseminary.org
In the last episode we described Berned Foskett’s leadership in re-constituting the Western Association upon the basis of the 1689 Confession. Full subscription was required annually with the only exceptions being in a church’s views of singing in public worship and on which day the Sabbath was to be celebrated. What was the response by the churches? Some refused to be a part of this of course. The General Baptists and those with Arian or Unitarian leanings went their own way.
But 24 churches, including several from Wales, answered this invitation in the affirmative and in 1733 met in renewed association. These included both of the Particular Baptist churches in Bristol – Broadmead and Pithay. Bradford-on-Avon was represented and there is still a 1689 confessional Baptist church in that town. In fact, two of the articles I used in preparing this episode were written by pastors of that church. Smaller and more rural churches were represented, often with meetings in multiple towns due to distance. Larger cities such as Exeter, Plymouth, and Swansea also signed on.
For more information visit: https://cbtseminary.org
When Berned Foskett came to Bristol Broadmead as the assistant to Pastor Peter Kitterell in 1720, the regional Baptist Association, called the Western Association, had already entered an unhealthy period. There had been a Baptist association of churches in western and south-western England since the middle of the 1600s. But it was an amalgam of various beliefs. There was no confessional basis for union. Some churches were Particulars, some were Generals and some were becoming something very different. Under various influences, the associational orthodoxy declined. The causes included the effects of the instability and heresies of Thomas Collier which strongly influenced some churches negatively and the rationalistic pressures brought in by the Age of Reason which produced Arianism and Unitarianism in some General Baptist churches. It seems the Western Association churches were agreed on believer’s baptism but often on little else.
Bernard Foskett came to Broadmead as the assistant to Pastor Peter Kitterell and to train men for the Baptist ministry under the terms of the will of Elder Edward Terrill. This was in 1720. In 1714, the church had hired a young man named Caleb Jope for this purpose. He had the requisite language skills having been trained in a General Baptist academy in nearby Trowbridge. But he seems to have been unable to get along with others, being too self-interested and self-willed. He had originally received a call to pastor the Baptist church in Plymouth, but decided the Broadmead opportunity was better. Despite advice from older associational pastors, he went to Bristol Broadmead.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Bernard Foskett was born on March 10, 1685, in North Crawley. That is a small town about 50 miles north-north-west of London. His father, William, was a local magistrate, which tells us Bernard grew up well-off and Anglican. He was schooled privately at home and excelled at his studies. So he was sent to London to train as a doctor. One of his successors at Broadmead reported that the young Mr. Foskett “qualified and eventually practiced medicine for a number of years”.
Since I have called Anne’s letter writing her most important and best work, I want to give you a few samples. These were written approximately 275 years ago. So the language and style are different. Some social conventions have dramatically changed. But her grasp of Scripture and her heart of concern and love for God’s people still reach across the years to our profit.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Anne’s view of the nature of baptism is high, historically confessional, and Scriptural. This Particular Baptist woman used Reformed, puritan, and Baptist terminology in a time when non or anti-sacramentalism was growing. And so she can be a help to us today.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Anne Dutton’s “Thoughts on the Lord’s Supper” is a wonderful piece of doctrine and devotion. Her view of the Table retains the richness of the predominant Particular Baptist understanding of the Supper from the previous century. She is very much a baptized puritan in her perspectives and practice. There is no mere remembering an absent Christ here!
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
"Anne Dutton also wrote against Sandemanianism and its antinomianism. Her work on this was fifty years ahead of Andrew Fuller’s more thorough and famous work against it. However, her short letters must have been useful to some against this confusing distortion of saving faith."
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
As a writer in the middle 1700s, Anne Dutton had several personal advantages. First, her maturity was well known to her acquaintances. She began writing for an audience in her early 40s by which time she displayed both spiritual and theological sobriety. She didn’t write about trivialities; she was always orthodox. God used her upbringing, diligent personal study, and connections with sound pastors, including her husband, Benjamin, to form in her a deep biblical understanding and wisdom. Second, her intellectual education and associated library were excellent. Third, since she was childless, she had time to pursue writing.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
One of the more unusual Particular Baptist women of the 1700s in England was Anne Dutton. Today, she is not well known, but in her time she was widely admired as a prolific theological writer and as friend and occasional foe of prominent evangelical preachers.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Knowledge of his early life, education, marriage, children, travel, health, appearance, outside interests, politics, and a myriad of other things remind us that he was like us. Often at least a few of these things profoundly affected his ministry. And the trials, weaknesses, disappointments, sins, and failures of his life, help us to look to Jesus as the only perfect Shepherd. We should honor and learn from men like John Fawcett much more than we do. But we should also rank them where they would want us to rank them – as vessels of sovereign grace, as the chief of sinners, and the least of the saints. Reformed Baptist hagiography doesn’t revere God nor spiritually help us. So here are a few generally unrelated and personal tidbits about John Fawcett.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
"We know that Fawcett had been asked to preach for Gill when he fell ill. Then after he died, Fawcett was asked to become Carter Lane’s pastor. He seriously considered the request, sought counsel from others, and the next year finally agreed. We also know that Fawcett got ready to move but when the time came to leave his flock, he couldn’t break his ties with them. He decided to stay and apparently never seriously considered leaving again."
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
In our last episode we learned of the early religious influences on John Fawcett and then of his conversion. Under God, it came through the word of truth preached by an Anglican priest named George Whitfield. One of the great emphases in his preaching was the need to be born again. In the state-supported religion of the day, Christianity was often equated with morality. The law was given out but the gospel often came with little clarity. So the doctrine of regeneration was a thunderbolt that startled its hearers. Some ran to Christ for protection and others railed against the enthusiasm of such preaching. To be an enthusiast was to be mentally unbalanced or to use Jonathan Edward’s phrase from the same time period, to be “crack-brained”. But of course, it was no such thing. It was simply Jesus’ teaching about the new birth being presented to rationalistic and moralistic people, dead in their sins with minds darkened to how to be truly right with God.
It’s time to sketch a short biography of John Fawcett, the pastor-poet we’ve been learning about. Despite the fact that he hasn’t been studied with the kind of depth as other Baptist leaders from the 18th century, we know quite a bit about him because upon his death, one of his sons wrote a memoir.
I have introduced you to several of John Fawcett’s writings – especially his sermons and devotional works. But he was also a fine hymn writer. Several of his better productions are still sung today. He believed in singing psalms and hymns in public worship, not merely for private edification. The Baptist churches in his day, that is in the latter 1700’s, would have predominantly sung the psalms and hymns of Isaac Watts. His song books were very popular. But as Baptists and others began to also pen hymns for worship, new collections were desired. And of course, a section of hymns for the ordinance of believer’s baptism was needed for their churches.
I want to introduce you to more works from the pen of John Fawcett, the Baptist pastor from the north of England in the later 1700s. In almost 100 episodes of Particular Pilgrims, we have found only a few authors producing what could be called “many” publications. Benjamin Keach was one but the list is short. In the 1600s it could be difficult for non-conformists to publish. This began to ease in the 1700s and by the latter half of the century, some like Fawcett took advantage of the situation and produced dozens of volumes.
I want to introduce you to John Fawcett, another one of the many excellent evangelical pastors from Particular Baptist life in 1700s England. I plan to give you his biography soon, but first, I’d like to review one of his many writings, this one entitled “The Constitution and Order of a Gospel Church Considered”. What a typical 18th-century title! This was first published in 1797 when Fawcett was in his late 50s and living near the church he pastored at Hebden Bridge in northern England.
At roughly the same time that Particular Baptists began to appear out of the Puritan and Congregational movements in Old England they show up in New England. Several men I have already introduced to you spent time in both places.
For example, Thomas Patient pastored not only in London, Ireland, and Bristol but was also in New England. He migrated to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1630s along with thousands of others seeking relief from religious conformity. While there, he concluded that infant baptist was unbiblical. This may have been as the result of hearing a series of sermons in favor of infant sprinkling. He claims in a later writing to not have known anyone to oppose it. But these sermons seem to have put doubts in his mind and he began to study the question. In any case by 1642 he was being accused in the Salem court records “of holding but also fomenting the error that baptism of infants is no ordinance of God and hindering his child from baptism. Gone away.” This makes it clear that he and his wife had at least one child and they refused to have him baptized. And it shows that he once again fled to a freer place from persecution. He eventually returned to Old England where his major work was to be sent to plant churches in Ireland.
If anyone today has heard of Benjamin Beddome, it is probably as a hymn writer. A few of his compositions are still in hymnals today. For example, in the Trinity Hymnal, Baptist Edition, there are three of his selections. There are two in the new Trinity Psalter Hymnal.
One thing this writing of hymns for worship proves is that he believed congregational singing to be a part of God’s public worship. His father, John, had also been of this school of thought. And so Benjamin wrote hundreds of songs, primarily for the purpose of reinforcing the sermon. They were meant to be sung after the preaching of the Word of God so the congregation could respond in faith to God for the truth they had just heard. The church in Bourton also used Isaac Watts’ psalms and hymns and others as well. But when a specific theme was needed for a sermon, Beddome wrote his own. This was a common practice by many at this time but few did it with such variety and skill.
Benjamin Beddome was appreciated as a fine preacher by his congregation and his gift in this regard was widely admired in the Particular Baptist churches and beyond. We have seen that it was his preaching and the blessing of God upon it that caused the Bourton church to pursue him as their pastor. But there were other admirers. Robert Hall, Jr., perhaps the premier Baptist preacher of the next generation, wrote the following, “As a preacher, he was universally admired for the piety and unction of his sentiments, the felicity of his arrangement, and the purity, force, and simplicity of his language, all of which were recommended by a delivery perfectly natural and graceful.”
When Benjamin Beddome became the pastor at Bourton-on-the-water, one of the first things he aggressively pursued besides preaching was catechizing. He aimed for the simple but thorough and deep teaching of his congregation and their children from the Scriptures through the Baptist Catechism. The use of a catechism had been part of Particular Baptist life since their emergence from puritan dissent. Men such as Henry Jessey, Hercules Collins, John Bunyan, and most famously, William Collins and Benjamin Keach had produced catechisms for the churches.
When we left Benjamin Beddome last episode, he had been set apart to preach by the London Baptist church where he was a member. The year was 1740. He immediately got busy in that work, though only 22. He returned to the rural and small town area of his birth and began to preach throughout it. Although well educated in many senses, he was undoubtedly raw in exercising his preaching gifts. His father recognized that his zeal needed to be tempered in certain ways. So he wrote to his son, kindly, but with strong advice, saying, “I wish from my heart I could prevail with you not to strain your voice so much in the delivery of your sermons; and if you would make them shorter and less crowded with matter, it would be more acceptable and edifying to your hearers, and more safe and easy for yourself.” He went on, “If you deliver the great truths of the gospel with calmness, and with a soft, mellow voice, they will drop as the gentle rain or dew. For the good of souls, then, and for your own good, be persuaded to strive after this.” A little while later, he also wrote, “soften your voice, and shorten your sermons…let two hours be the longest time you spend in the pulpit at any place”!
One of the frequent misconceptions of English Particular Baptist life in the 1700s is that it was captive to a hyper-Calvinistic ethos that led it into decline. To a degree, this was true in some places, including central England and London. But the extent has often been exaggerated or misjudged. There are many counter-examples including the life and ministry of Benjamin Beddome and his father, John. As part of the Western Association of Particular Baptist churches, they were staunchly confessional in their church doctrine and life, which included the free proclamation of the gospel and the application of the moral law to the life of believers. They indiscriminately offered the gospel to sinners and opposed all forms of antinomianism. They were also characterized by a broad charity to orthodox believers who did not share their Baptist convictions.
I’ve had several people ask the question – at what age did the early Particular Baptists immerse believers? Back then, did a person have to be a certain age to qualify for baptism? I’m thankful for this question for several reasons. First, it’s one I’ve wondered about and studied for years. Second, the answer from history is quite different from much of the modern practice of believer’s baptism. And that means that there is almost certainly benefit to be gained in reflecting on the reasons behind this difference, regardless of where one ends up in practice.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
In the last 20 years there has been a resurgence of interest in Anne. One of the best studies is called “To Express the Ineffable: the hymns and spirituality of Anne Steele” by Cynthia Aalders. It was published by Paternoster Press in 2008 as part of a series on Baptist history and thought. There are many useful books in that list. But I often find these kind of studies to be out of touch both historically and religiously with their subject as well as being too technical. But this book had none of those defects and was a delight to read. Aalders gives a short life of Steele and wisely references J. R. Broome’s detailed biography. She follows this with chapters on various themes in Steele’s poetry and identifies several that I’d like to show you.
It’s time now to turn to the writing of Anne Steele with a focus on her religious poetry and hymns. As already mentioned, Anne wrote in various forms including letters, psalms and hymns, poems for specific occasions, and prose essays on a number of specific subjects.
In exploring the life of Anne Steele, there are many events common to much of Baptist life at the time, for example, the close knit even guarded church communities, the close family ties, the frequency of death and sorrow. But the Steeles were unusual to some degree in that they were financially well-off. They lived what we might call an upper middle class lifestyle.
Anne Steele was born to William and Anne Steele during the second week of May, 1717. She joined an older brother, William, in their ancestral home called Grandfathers. A few years later another brother was born, Thomas. But this was to be a time of grief not joy because mother Anne died of childbirth complications and Thomas followed her to the grave a few weeks later. It is likely that father William’s sister, Mary, cared for the children for the next few years, before William remarried. All this means that daughter Anne probably had no recollection of her mother.
In the next few episodes, I plan to acquaint you with one of the important Baptist hymn writers of the 1700s. Largely forgotten now, her name is Anne Steele, spelled with an “e” at the end of both her first and last names. But before we look at her life and work, I want you to know the three Particular Baptist pastors that played a role in forming her life. They were all three related to her. But they are virtually unknown to us today and that should be rectified.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennesse. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.
Particular Pilgrims is hosted by Ron Miller, Pastor of Covenant Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee. This resource provides short stories from Particular Baptist history.
Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary is a Confessional Reformed Baptist Seminary Providing affordable online theological education to help the Church in its calling to train faithful men. To learn more about CBTS, visit https://CBTSeminary.org.