Introduction To The Reprint Of “The Fifteenth Anniversary Of The Hudson River Baptist Association” -- By: Richard C. Weeks

Journal: Central Bible Quarterly
Volume: CENQ 07:2 (Summer 1964)
Article: Introduction To The Reprint Of “The Fifteenth Anniversary Of The Hudson River Baptist Association”
Author: Richard C. Weeks


Introduction To The Reprint Of “The Fifteenth Anniversary Of The Hudson River Baptist Association”

Richard C. Weeks

Pastor of the Donald Smith Memorial Baptist Church, Oak Lawn, Illinois

Central Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary has recently come into possession of a rare document, THE FIFTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HUDSON RIVER BAPTIST ASSOCIATION.

Reproduced in the pages preceding this introduction, it provides a most interesting insight into the working affairs of a local Baptist association in the era when it can be said that Baptist work in this country had reached a maturity and stability while yet retaining a most vigorous and effective extension and growth.

It was my privilege to survey scores of similar associational (both local and state) reports at the Swift Library at the University of Chicago some years ago. These reports have since been given to the library at Colgate-Rochester Seminary in New York. They consisted of a nearly complete set of the reports of the various associations of Illinois from about 1835 through 1860 and many also from the several surrounding middle-western states.

There was a certain thrill in perusing these to observe how our spiritual forefathers in this country conducted the cooperative affairs of churches of like faith and order. Out of it came several general observations.

The first observation was that practically without exception each association was knit together by a Confession or Statement of Faiths This gives categorical refutation to the often-heard and lop-sided emphasis of some

within the American Baptist Convention concerning the Baptist principle of soul-liberty which they have redefined to allow a false license for unbelief. On the other hand a proper balance was maintained so that these Confessions of Faith were never regarded as Creeds in the sense of irrevocable statements that forever defined what the Scriptures teach and what the Denomination believed (though the terms were sometime used loosely and interchangeably). They were considered as expressions as to what those Baptist churches in association believed the Bible to teach in its essentials but always with the reserve that the Confessions of Faith were amendable should there come further light on what the Scriptures teach and mutual agreement to the Scriptures. In other words, the Bible must always be brought to bear upon the Statements of Faith; not as in Creeds where the Creeds spoke with finality for the Scriptures.

Another observation gained in perusing these early documents was that the Associations acted quickly and decisively in discipline on the fellowshi...

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