AN APPEAL TO A BAPTIST HISTORIAN...

From Eld, John M. Watson, Murfreesboro, Tenn. — to Parson David Benedict A. M., pastor of the Bap. church in Pawtucket, R. I., and author of " The general History of the Baptist denomination in America, and other parts of the world."

TRUE & FALSE REPENTANCE ILLUSTRATED IN PHARAOH...

Brother Beebe: Writing a few days since to a distant friend, on a subject which she had proposed, namely a hard heart; I was led, in speaking on it as a distinguishing trait of an unregenerate state, to refer to Pharaoh as a Scriptural instance illustrative of this subject.

PARABLE OF THE BARREN FIG TREE...

DEAR BROTHER BEEBE: – A sister has requested my views on the parable of the barren fig tree, and another sister has by letter requested my views on Zech. 1:8, through the SIGNS, and as I have not much to say on either, I will include my views of both in one communication.

KINGS-EVIL OR PRIEST-CRAFT?...

[ed. We publish this will little commentary, because truth needs no defense.]

WHICH HAS DONE THE MOST MISCHIEF IN THE WORLD,

THE KINGS-EVIL OR PRIEST-CRAFT?

SANCTIFICATION PETER VANHORN 1787...

[ed. We publish this circular letter to show the confusion that was already present in the Philadelphia Association on the subject of sanctification.  In one part Vanhorn truly grasps the truth of this glorious doctrine, in the other, he contradicts it.  So Vanhorn jumped between positional sanctification and progressive sanctification.]

MISSIONARY ENCOURAGEMENT 1798 (WILLIAM STAUGHTON) 2

[ed. We continue with the long-winded lecture to beg for money and we will show how things have not changed even today with modern missionary societies.  We will now continue translating Mr. Staughton's new school gibberish into a meaningful translation for the children of God.]

MISSIONARY ENCOURAGEMENT 1798 (WILLIAM STAUGHTON) 1

[ed. This is yet another "missionary" lecture defending missionary societies and modern missionaries.  We wonder if such things were so utterly biblical, why were they so much defended?  They should have been obvious to all!  Nevertheless, since these missionists speak in a strange tongue to the followers of Jesus, we will translate their words into the proper language that the children of God can clearly understand.]

EXPERIENCE OF LOY RODGERS...

The years went by, the year 1950 I reached 18 years of age in Feb, word came to me that the Pleasant Springs Missionary Baptist was having a revival, from some cause I had a strong desire to go. So my Dad and Aunt, carried me one night. When the invitation was given I went up, however I cannot remember what was said.

CHRISTIANS AND WAR 3...

THE CHRISTIAN AND THE SWORD

Dear Father: In your kind favor of the 15th instruction, you tell me if what you have written on the use or abuse of the sword is not satisfactory, to feel no backwardness in saying so. As I before remarked, I fear the discussion of the subject through the "Signs of the Times" will be productive of alienation of feeling rather than good results. Truth may be revealed to some brethren, which is not as yet taught to others of us: it has been said:

"The men of mind are mountains; and their heads

Are sunned long ere the rest of earth."

CHRISTIANS AND WAR 2...

[Ed. We continue the series on Christians and war with the response from Gilbert Beebe's son William to his father's first letter.]

THE CHRISTIAN AND WAR...

[Elder William Beebe, formerly of New York State, was residing in Georgia, and attending the churches of the Old School Baptist order there when the War Between The States began. (William was ordained in Georgia just after the war.) He served in the Confederate Army until captured by Northern forces and was imprisoned in Ohio. The following correspondence with his father, Elder Gilbert Beebe, was the results of his disagreement with a circular letter This refers to the Circular Letter of the Warwick Old School Baptist Association of June 1866 written by Elder Silas Durand titled, The Love of Christ the Bond of Perfectness. We will publish this article at a future date. from the Warwick Association upon the subject of brethren taking up arms against brethren. That this was then, and is now, a difficult subject can be seen from the excellent points made by both writers. They were father and son, fellow yoke servants with Christ, brethren in the church of the Living God, and yet abiding in nature under opposing and bitterly antagonistic governments. Men of lesser gifts, or lacking the long-suffering nature of their Redeemer might well have been much more vitriolic and mean spirited in their arguments. - Elder James Poole]

RICHARD FURMAN'S ADDRESS TRIENNIAL CONVENTION 1814...

ADDRESS OF THE BAPTIST DELEGATES AT PHILADELPHIA, 1814

[ed. We publish this address due to the impact it had on Baptists to become involved in the mission movement of the 19th century.  We obviously, do not approve of a lot that Mr. Furman says,]

SUPPOSED BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS...

BENEVOLENT EFFORTS. NUMBER THREE.
“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him.” - Solomon.

We now come to an examination of the subject of Missions and Tracts.

PROTRACTED MEETINGS...

ASSOCIATIONS.
REMARKS ON AN ARTICLE IN THE “CROSS AND BAPTIST JOURNAL.”

WE freely admit that the argument of our correspondent alluded to, in favor of continuing associational meetings, would come very far short of demonstrating that they were of God. This we were aware of when we inserted the letter; but our brother barely expressed his thoughts on the subject - he did not attempt to enter into the full merits of the subject argumentatively. 

CIRCULAR 1775 GOD'S DECREE ELDER ABEL MORGAN...

The Association of elders and brethren of the several Baptist churches in Pennsylvania, and the colonies adjacent, held at Philadelphia, October 10th, 11th, and 12th, 1775.

UNION WITH CHRIST...

REMARKS ON ELDER WILLIAMS’ LETTER & QUERIES.
BROTHER BEEBE: - It may appear superfluous for me to attempt any reply to brother Williams’ letter, after the able answer you have given to his queries, (SIGNS for June 15th.) But, first, I only am responsible for spreading the extract from Elder Dudley’s pamphlet before the readers of the SIGNS, to which brother Williams objects; I therefore feel bound to defend it, and this I feel a willingness to do, from being satisfied of the truth of its sentiment.

PATENT RIGHT FOR GETTING UP REVIVALS...

IN the professedly orthodox American Baptist, we are greeted with an extract from a Pastor’s sketchbook, showing by what sort of machinery a drunkard was converted, by the effort of said pastor, assisted by two females, extracted from the N. Y. Evangelist; to which are added the following remarks:

A LOOK BACK AT BAPTISTS IN AMERICA....

INTRODUCTORY PREFACE TO EDITORIALS, 1868
From the earliest settlement of our country by the Puritans in New England, and the Church of England in the Southern colonies, whose religious supremacy was established by law in their several localities, the Baptists, and indeed all other dissenting orders, suffered great oppositions by proscription and oppression from the dominant parties.

CIRCULAR LETTER ON EFFECTUAL CALLING 1784 JOHN GANO...

EFFECTUAL CALLING
By Rev. John Gano, Pastor
First Baptist Church, New York City

The elders and brethren of the several churches, met in Association at New York, October 5th, 6th, and 7th, 1784.

CIRCULAR LETTER OF 1806 (WILLIAM ROGERS)

[We reprint this circular letter from William Rogers to show the direction the Philadelphia Association was headed in by the beginning of the 19th century on the subject of missions, which brought about the split among Baptists.]

QUALIFICATIONS OF A GOOD MINISTER OF JESUS CHRIST...

Qualifications, Characters and Duties of a Good Minister of Jesus Christ, Considered

A SERMON

PREACHED AT THE ORDINATION

of

REV. MR. JOHN GANO,

ANNO DOMlNI 1754

by

Isaac Eaton, Minister of the Baptist Church in Hopewell, New Jersey

Philadelphia
B. Franklin, and D. Hall,
1755.

SAMUEL JONES CIRCULAR LETTER OF 1795...

[We publish this circular letter to clearly demonstrate the continuity of the views of the Old School Baptists with the famed Philadelphia Association, as demonstrated by the venerable Samuel Jones.  Note that this circular letter was written a full ten years after the publication of Andrew Fuller's Gospel Worthy Of All Acceptation (1785).  The letter was approved by the entire association, but particularly by William Rogers (Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Philadelphia along with Thomas Ustick), John Blackwell (pastor at Hopewell Baptist Church NJ) and James McLaughlin (a former member of the Welsh Tract Baptist Church and then pastor of the First Baptist Church of Wilmington, DE.]

The Philadelphia Baptist Association, convened at Philadelphia, the 6th, 7th, and 8th of October, 1795.

SAMUEL JONES CIRCULAR LETTER OF 1781...

[We publish this Circular Letter to demonstrate that not all Particular Baptists believed in the so-called Covenant Theology, including the covenant of Works in the Garden of Eden.  Since this was approved by the Philadelphia Baptist Association, it shows that in general American Regular and Particular Baptists did not hold to present day Covenant Theology.]  The elders and messengers of the several churches met in Association at Philadelphia, October 23d, 1781.To the several churches in union -with this Association, send greeting.

ELDER WILLIAM WHITE'S CIRCULAR LETTER OF 1803...

The elders and messengers of the Philadelphia Baptist Association,To the churches they represent, send Christian salutation.

ELDER JOHN GANO IN NEW YORK CITY...

In the spring, the church at New-York, knowing my term of engagement was nearly up, sent a call to me, to remove there.

ELDER JOHN GANO CALLED TO THE MINISTRY...

Pulpit Warwick Old School Baptist Meeting House NY

After I had joined the church, I was treated more like an old, than a young member. I was soon made a messenger to the association; and to the Scotch Plains church, with Elder J. Stout Probably John Stout mentioned in the Philadelphia Associational Minutes, to obtain stated supplies to keep up communion seasons from Mr. Miller, one of the most useful ministers in that day.

THE FIRST AND LAST ADAM - THE SUBSTANCE OF A SERMON...

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. I Cor. 15:45. 

CONVERSION OF ELDER JOHN GANO...

I in early life I had some severe convictions of sins, conscious I must die and go to judgment; and that I must be renewed by grace, or perish as a sinner.

DANGERS OF AN UNCONVERTED MINISTRY...

“And Jesus, when He came out, saw much people and was moved with compassion towards them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd.” Mark 6:34

CONNECTION BETWEEN SOVEREIGN GRACE & GOOD WORKS...

Brother Beebe: - Brother Jewett Old School Baptist Elder in Tompkins, New York who was the editor of the Christian Doctrinal Advocate & Monitor", in the Number of the  Doctrinal Advocate Old School Baptist paper published in New York" for May, 1845, proposed that I, or some brother, should treat on the connection which may exist between the doctrine of Sovereign Grace and Good Works.

RELATION OF MY EXPERIENCE...

Brother Beebe: - I have for some years thought of giving a relation of my experience through the Signs, as a testimony to the condescension of our God and Saviour, who as our Great High Priest, can and does have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way...

BLACK ROCK IMPOSITION....

(Ir) Religion Herald, – World, – Cross, –"Hands off,” &c. Baptist Repository.
The communications of Brethren Trott, and Reis, in reference to the false and slanderous article published in the Herald, and eagerly copied into the Repository, World, Cross &c., under the above significant heads, – we conclude are superseded by the following denial of Elder Healey, and the reluctant recantation of the Herald.

ELDER MEREDITH'S APPEAL...

Elder Peter Meredith’s appeal to the brethren of the Delaware Old School Baptist Association, which fills over five whole columns of the Delaware State Reporter, is principally made up of bitter complaints against the “Signs of the Times,” ourself, and some of our correspondents; but as he has appealed to the brethren of the Delaware O.S. Association, to them let him go. So far as we are implicated, there is no tribunal on earth to which we would more willingly consent to be tried, especially as they are so well acquainted with both accuser and accused.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY ELDER EPHRAIM RITTENHOUSE 4...

PART IV.Kingwood, 
N. J., Sept. 20, 1848.

DEAR BROTHER: – Having long halted between those opinions, still clinging to the world, and feeling at times unwilling to give it up, unwilling to sacrifice the honors and pleasure of this life, to lose my reputation, and have my name cast out as evil for the sake of Christ, from this time forward the case became decided, I ceased to enjoy the things of this world, and the society of my former companions;the vanities and follies in which they delighted had altogether lost their charms with me, and I now longed after the society and fellowship of the people of God.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY ELDER EPHRAIM RITTENHOUSE 2-3...

PART II.July 20, 1848.

BROTHER BEEBE: – From the borders of the pit, from the very confines of a land of darkness and of the shadow of death, we propose to resume our subject.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY ELDER EPHRAIM RITTENHOUSE 1...

Kingwood, N. J., June 25, 1848.

ESTEEMED BROTHER IN CHRIST: – The appearance of my name in your columns in your last number, reminds me of my unfinished task, and consequently of my duty to you and your readers to endeavor to prosecute it.