Speaking ‘Baptist’ With An Accent: An Historical Overview Of European Foreign Language Baptist Conferences In America -- By: Lloyd A. Harsch

Journal: Journal for Baptist Theology & Ministry
Volume: JBTM 20:1 (Spring 2023)
Article: Speaking ‘Baptist’ With An Accent: An Historical Overview Of European Foreign Language Baptist Conferences In America
Author: Lloyd A. Harsch


Speaking ‘Baptist’ With An Accent: An Historical Overview Of European Foreign Language Baptist Conferences In America

Lloyd Harsch

Lloyd A. Harsch serves as professor of Church History and Baptist Studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The United States is a country of immigrants. The First Peoples1 came east from Asia. The Spanish came north from Mexico. The French came south from Canada and the English came west from England. For the first 100 years that census data were recorded (1850–1940), the vast majority of immigrants came from Europe. During that time, nearly 50 million immigrants came.2

Some of these immigrants were Baptists who immigrated here as individuals, families or entire congregations. Some immigrants heard and responded to the Gospel as already established English congregations reached across cultural and linguistic barriers. Still other new Americans heard the Gospel from other immigrants, became Baptists, and formed congregations. The ultimate result was that Baptist life in America became a mosaic of languages and cultures.

As soon as enough congregations from a similar ethnic background were formed, they would gather together to form associations and conferences for fellowship and to facilitate mission work among their fellow immigrants. This article will examine the foundation of ethnic European congregations and fellowships.

Welsh (1663/ – )3

Less than twenty-five years after Roger Williams organized the first Baptist church in America, the first non-English immigrant congregation arrived. Located near the Rhode Island border in Swansea, Massachusetts, this new congregation worshiped in Welsh.

John Myles became a Baptist under the influence of William Kiffin, Hanserd Knollys, and John Spilsbury shortly after journeying to London, perhaps as early as 1639.4 Returning to Wales he organized the first Baptist church in Wales at Ilston, near Swansea. The restoration of the monarchy ushered in the Clarendon Code’s Act of Uniformity (1662). In 1663, Myles and several congregants moved to Massachusetts where they re-established the Swansea congregation. It produced the first Baptist church covenant in America and aided in the founding of congregations in several other towns.5

Other Welsh Baptists followed. Many of these immigrants were enticed by William Penn’s invitation to settle in Pennsylvania. Augmented with new converts...

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