ABA beginnings with Elder J.N. Hall

Elder J.N. Hall

THE MOSES OF LANDMARKISM. Elder J. N. Hall, editor of The Baptist Flag & veteran of 97 public debates, was eulogized with this title by an editor of another religious group shortly after his death, Dec. 4, 1905. And like the great leader of old, he was allowed to view the Promised Land from on high, but not to actually enter its boundaries.
A STEAM LOCOMOTIVE lurched to a stop at the old depot in Prescott, AR, early the last Sunday morning in Nov., 1905. The mud streets & board sidewalks were almost deserted when the conductor helped a shivering & gravely ill but determined preacher down the steps. He was there to meet a preaching appointment at the Baptist Church located just yards from the tracks in spite of the pleading of his associates to cancel the night before. ON SATURDAY Bro. Hall, already ill, worked all day as chairman of a committee to draw up the Statement of Principles of the new association. Thus, he was a leading author of the first constitution of a national association of Landmark Baptists. THAT EVENING, at the meeting house of the First Baptist Church in Texarkana, TX, Bro. Hall addressed the messengers of the historic convocation. Though burning with fever, he electrified the congregation with a powerful message on why he believed the Bible was inspired, a prophetically appropriate topic for this first association of fiercely independent churches that became the American Baptist Association in 1924. (From The Vine Line, HLW, September 1989)

J.R. GRAVES Life, Times and Teachings 10

NASHVILLE AND THE SECOND CHURCH

Dr. R.B.C. Howell was then in the zenith of his power and usefulness. He had recently written and published his great work on Communion, which has already passed through several editions. He was a man of culture and eloquence and of great literary ability, a tremendous worker, and at that time the most influential man among the Baptists of the South. In addition to his pastoral labors in connection with the First Baptist Church, of Nashville, he also was editor of The Baptist. In that paper of November, 1845, he wrote this commendatory word concerning Graves: “He has lately come from Kentucky and, although quite young, is thoroughly educated, exemplary in piety, ardently devoted to his work, and not without ministerial experience.”

A year of indefatigable and successful labor followed, during which time young Graves was brought into conflict with the almost supreme of Methodism in that city. The influence of such a man as Dr. Howell on him must have been very great. Some one has said: “A man is the sum of his antecedents.” As we shall see, young Graves imbibed much of this great man’s spirit and adopted many of his ecclesiastical views. Here, in fact began to operate those influences and reactions which in later years led to his writing The Great Iron Wheel.

BECOMES EDITOR OF THE BAPTIST

And now opened before young Graves a new and untried field of labor, and his real life work began. It came about in this way: In 1835 R.B.C. Howell started a small quarto paper in Nashville called The Baptist. It continued for three years and was then merged in the Banner and Pioneer, which was published in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr. Howell retained the position of associate editor, or Tennessee editor. Five years later, in 1842, The Baptist, was resuscitated under the ownership of the General Association of Middle Tennessee and Northern Alabama, with Dr. Howell again as editor. The paper did not pay expenses and its circulation ran a little more than one thousand. Young Graves, while pastor of the Second Baptist Church, wrote stirring articles for The Baptist often controversial, which made a most favorable impression. At the General Association of 1846, Dr. Howell resigned the editorship and the executive committee of the Association elected J.R. Graves his successor. He at first declined because, in becoming editor, he would have to assume somewhat heavy responsibilities. It was characteristic of Dr. Graves that he sought to avoid heavy responsibilities, especially in the denominational life, but he at length accepted and his real life work was already begun.

42 – Feb. 11 – THIS DAY IN BAPTIST HISTORY PAST

“He said the word “baptizo” is to immerse or dip.”
Dr. Alexander McLaren was born on Feb. 11, 1826, and lived until May 5, 1910.  He was a Baptist and an outstanding Bible expositor from Manchester, England who wrote for the Sunday School Times.  These lessons were used in all denominations throughout England.
In one of his lessons he commented on the immersion of the Lord Jesus in the Jordan.  Immediately the editor was bombarded by pedobaptists for allowing such a statement.  The editor himself a Presbyterian, replied that though he was not a Baptist, he concurred.  When McLaren used it a second time they were attacked again.  This time the Editor of the times quoted several scholars who all agreed that in every instance they agreed that “baptizo” is translated immersion.  These included John D. Davis, professor in the Theological Seminary at Princeton, NJ copyrighted by the Trustees of the Presbyterian Board of Education.  He said the word “baptizo” is to immerse or dip.”  Every lexicon renders it the same way.  Thayers Lexicon, Liddel and Scott, Bagsters Greek New Testament, all render that word to be either immerse or to dip.
Dr. Greg J. Dixon,  adapted from:  This Day in Baptist History III (David L. Cummins), pp