This is a pamphlet that was published by Elder Gabriel Conklin in 1839. To our knowledge, it has never been posted on the internet (typed) before. Here, Elder Conklin lays out clearly the classic argument made by New School Baptists, even today, that Old School Baptists departed from their original principles when they became antimissionary societies, and refutes the argument. These arguments are still used today by New School Baptists to demonstrate that it was the Old School Baptists who departed from the historical Baptist position. - ed.
Laying before me is this pamphlet bearing the title of "The Truth As It is or a few words of intelligence important to those who call themselves Old School Baptists," and, as I am a Baptist of that class, and fond of important intelligence, especially if h be the truth, I have given it hasty perusal, and I have somewhat against it; not particularly on account of its being illegitimate, neither because it has not told the truth; but, you know, a witness didn't tell the truth, as it is, and not tell the whole truth, and thus come very near perjuring himself; having been sworn to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.''
The obvious design of this pamphlet is to make an impression on the minds of the people that the Warwick Association i, not now, what it was twenty years back, and that the Abington Association is now what it was twenty years ago, or at its commencement; and consequently that the Warwick Association departed from her first principles, as an Association, together with those Churches and parts of Churches in the bounds of the Abington Association who have protested against the course of that Association, in reference to the benevolent institutions. (falsely so-called,) and are in fellowship with the Warwick Association. And farther, that the Warwick Association, and those Churches, parts of Churches, or individuals in Churches, are improperly called "Old School" Baptist.
The Author of the pamphlet above referred to, in his introduction, expresses a desire to avoid angry and unprofitable controversy, (and so do I) yet. he has stepped forward, in disguise, as plaintiff in this case, and very gratuitously laid in his declaration against the Warwick Association, and brethren of the Abington, before the public. And now, on behalf of my brethren and myself, I feel disposed to join in with him, and come to trial: hut let it be remembered that I am the defendant in this case, lest l be charged with soliciting or commencing unprofitable controversy.
In order to ascertain what the Warwick Association was 20 or 80 years ago, it is necessary to have reference to her Constitution and Minutes. In her Constitution, she declares (in the 9th article) her faith and order are "grounded and stand upon the authority of the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments." Consequently, in the 12th Article, she. declares her belief in the doctrine of the imputation of sin, and that.''God did from all eternity decree, for the manifestation of his own glory. some men, not all, to everlasting life, gave a people to be the seed of Christ, and to be, by him, in time, redeemed, called, justified and finally glorified; their number so certain and definite that it cannot be increased or diminished; neither are any other redeemed by Christ but the elect and they are effectually called by his Spirit working in due season." See Constitution published in Warwick Minutes 1834. The above doctrinal sentiments are precisely maintained by the Association at this time; in proof of which, see her Minutes of 1836, 5, 4, 3, &c. Let the reader then carefully read and compare the Constitution and Minutes of the Warwick Association, from her commencement down to the present, embracing a period of more than 45 years, and then judge whether the Association is or is not what she was at that time, in regard to her doctrine.
Secondly, we take into view of her practice; and in doing this, we proceed again to an examination of her Articles of Faith, adopted in 1791, and the Minutes of her annual meetings. She declares in her Constitution (Article 1st) her "object is to glorify God," and (Article 2d.) her meetings are for "obtaining a more general acquaintance with the state of the Churches, maintaining a friendly intercourse with each other, giving advice in cases of difficulty, supplying destitute Churches with helps, and guarding ourselves against innovation which the Church of Christ may expect always to be troubled with by those who lie in wait to deceive." The 3d, 4th and 5th, on to the 9th. Articles, go on in detail with the course to be pursued at her annual meetings. In vain do we look to that instrument, or those articles, for any of the professed benevolent institutions of the present times, or those articles, for any of the professed benevolent institutions of the present times, - not a word there about Sunday School Society, a Tract Society, Bible Society, or even a Missionary Society; from which we understand the Warwick Association was not a Missionary Society the, neither auxiliary to that or any other nor were those Societies even known at that time; but they are of a more recent date among us. Neither is the Warwick a Missionary Society now; nor has it ever been, at any period, from 1791 to 1839; this the reader will learn from a perusal of the Minutes of its yearly meetings.
A portion of the little pamphlet under consideration is taken up with the origin and constitution of the Orange County Missionary Society, &c., in order, as the writer observes, to show what Old School Baptists were, and what they did in the Warwick Association and its vicinity 20 years ago. The Society of the above name and character existed in Orange County, at that time, we do not deny; and that they adopted the constitution as set forth in the pamphlet we admit; and farther, that a number of individuals who subscribed to that constitution, were Baptist ministers, deacons, &c. belonging to the Churches composing the Warwick Association; yet it by no means follows that the Warwick Association was a Missionary Society. It is not probable that the Author of the pamphlet (though it were Elder Curtis or Miller) is so grossly ignorant as not to discover the difference between the Orange County Missionary Society and the Warwick Association, or that they are not one and the same.
But there is evidently a design in the pamphlet to make the impression that the Orange County Missionary Society, was the Warwick Association. I only wish to make the thing plain, and let the people judge for themselves. There is an apology to be offered for those individual brethren who united with that Society: Luther Rice had just returned from India (the circumstance, of itself, was calculated to attract the attention of the people) add to this his peculiar art of drawing and painting the condition of the heathen, being fresh from their land; and possessing a flaming, fiery religious zeal, he determined on traversing the land, length, and breath, professedly for the good of souls, and, in very many instances, his presence and representations produced something like a shock of electricity among people so that most of the Churches were he went (or rather, individual of Churches) were induced to contribute something.
The obvious design of this pamphlet is to make an impression on the minds of the people that the Warwick Association i, not now, what it was twenty years back, and that the Abington Association is now what it was twenty years ago, or at its commencement; and consequently that the Warwick Association departed from her first principles, as an Association, together with those Churches and parts of Churches in the bounds of the Abington Association who have protested against the course of that Association, in reference to the benevolent institutions. (falsely so-called,) and are in fellowship with the Warwick Association. And farther, that the Warwick Association, and those Churches, parts of Churches, or individuals in Churches, are improperly called "Old School" Baptist.
The Author of the pamphlet above referred to, in his introduction, expresses a desire to avoid angry and unprofitable controversy, (and so do I) yet. he has stepped forward, in disguise, as plaintiff in this case, and very gratuitously laid in his declaration against the Warwick Association, and brethren of the Abington, before the public. And now, on behalf of my brethren and myself, I feel disposed to join in with him, and come to trial: hut let it be remembered that I am the defendant in this case, lest l be charged with soliciting or commencing unprofitable controversy.
In order to ascertain what the Warwick Association was 20 or 80 years ago, it is necessary to have reference to her Constitution and Minutes. In her Constitution, she declares (in the 9th article) her faith and order are "grounded and stand upon the authority of the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments." Consequently, in the 12th Article, she. declares her belief in the doctrine of the imputation of sin, and that.''God did from all eternity decree, for the manifestation of his own glory. some men, not all, to everlasting life, gave a people to be the seed of Christ, and to be, by him, in time, redeemed, called, justified and finally glorified; their number so certain and definite that it cannot be increased or diminished; neither are any other redeemed by Christ but the elect and they are effectually called by his Spirit working in due season." See Constitution published in Warwick Minutes 1834. The above doctrinal sentiments are precisely maintained by the Association at this time; in proof of which, see her Minutes of 1836, 5, 4, 3, &c. Let the reader then carefully read and compare the Constitution and Minutes of the Warwick Association, from her commencement down to the present, embracing a period of more than 45 years, and then judge whether the Association is or is not what she was at that time, in regard to her doctrine.
Secondly, we take into view of her practice; and in doing this, we proceed again to an examination of her Articles of Faith, adopted in 1791, and the Minutes of her annual meetings. She declares in her Constitution (Article 1st) her "object is to glorify God," and (Article 2d.) her meetings are for "obtaining a more general acquaintance with the state of the Churches, maintaining a friendly intercourse with each other, giving advice in cases of difficulty, supplying destitute Churches with helps, and guarding ourselves against innovation which the Church of Christ may expect always to be troubled with by those who lie in wait to deceive." The 3d, 4th and 5th, on to the 9th. Articles, go on in detail with the course to be pursued at her annual meetings. In vain do we look to that instrument, or those articles, for any of the professed benevolent institutions of the present times, or those articles, for any of the professed benevolent institutions of the present times, - not a word there about Sunday School Society, a Tract Society, Bible Society, or even a Missionary Society; from which we understand the Warwick Association was not a Missionary Society the, neither auxiliary to that or any other nor were those Societies even known at that time; but they are of a more recent date among us. Neither is the Warwick a Missionary Society now; nor has it ever been, at any period, from 1791 to 1839; this the reader will learn from a perusal of the Minutes of its yearly meetings.
A portion of the little pamphlet under consideration is taken up with the origin and constitution of the Orange County Missionary Society, &c., in order, as the writer observes, to show what Old School Baptists were, and what they did in the Warwick Association and its vicinity 20 years ago. The Society of the above name and character existed in Orange County, at that time, we do not deny; and that they adopted the constitution as set forth in the pamphlet we admit; and farther, that a number of individuals who subscribed to that constitution, were Baptist ministers, deacons, &c. belonging to the Churches composing the Warwick Association; yet it by no means follows that the Warwick Association was a Missionary Society. It is not probable that the Author of the pamphlet (though it were Elder Curtis or Miller) is so grossly ignorant as not to discover the difference between the Orange County Missionary Society and the Warwick Association, or that they are not one and the same.
But there is evidently a design in the pamphlet to make the impression that the Orange County Missionary Society, was the Warwick Association. I only wish to make the thing plain, and let the people judge for themselves. There is an apology to be offered for those individual brethren who united with that Society: Luther Rice had just returned from India (the circumstance, of itself, was calculated to attract the attention of the people) add to this his peculiar art of drawing and painting the condition of the heathen, being fresh from their land; and possessing a flaming, fiery religious zeal, he determined on traversing the land, length, and breath, professedly for the good of souls, and, in very many instances, his presence and representations produced something like a shock of electricity among people so that most of the Churches were he went (or rather, individual of Churches) were induced to contribute something.
But, more recent events, together with a close examination of the word of God, have convinced many of his children that the things were not of the Lord; and every year furnishes additional testimony that those institutions professing to have the conversion of the world in view, are but inventions of men; therefore they feel bound to reject them. At the meeting of the Association,m 1829, there was an attempt to introduce into the Association some of the new Societies, and from that time, every meeting up to 183, the subject agitated the Association; the adoption of the measures being pressed hard upon the Association by their advocates, but met and refuted by opposing brethren at every meeting; so that, if our Minutes referred to, there will be nothing of the new measures found, either first or last, except a resolution in relation to temperance, in the MInutes of 1831 &2. And yet the pamphlet, professing to set forth the truth at it is, declares that in 1832, in the MInutes of the Warwick Association (with others) "It is found the brethren are actively and nobly engaged in the support of the Bible, MIssion, Sabbath School, Tract and Temperance Societies," &c. Now, in this case, either the committee who reported upon our Minutes, have reported falsely, or this pamphlet makes a false quotation; and in either case, it does not tell "the truth as it is;" therefore it is detected, on the spot, in telling or reporting a falsehood; for rest assured, with the Warwick Minutes before me, both of 18331 & 2, there is not a syllable in either of them in regard to any of those Societies. Finally, whoever will take the trouble of examining the Articles of Faith of the Warwick Association, as adopted in 1891, republished in the Minutes of 1818, and reprinted again in the Minutes of 1834, together with the Minutes of said Association, from first to last, cannot fail of being convinced that is now what it was in the beginning.
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