Chapter 3 The Contest of 1886 (Smoot)

 

This is part of our ongoing discussion on EternalVitalUnion.

The Contest and Division of 1850–53

The publication of the Signs of the Times by the late Elder Gilbert Beebe was the outgrowth of the New School contest of 1832. The late Elder Gilbert Beebe, as its able founder, was one of the most fearless and faithful ministers of his day. Very soon after the contest with the New School party it became evident that there was a large element remaining among us who were without understanding of the doctrine of an election in Christ, and the birth of the Spirit.

Contests upon these points of doctrine found their way into the columns of the Signs, Elder Gilbert Beebe, its able editor easily taking the lead, assisted by such strong and faithful gifts as the late Elder Thomas P. Dudley, Samuel Trott, R. C. Leachman, D. W. Patman, J. F. Johnson, with many others not so prominent, but able and fearless in the testimony of gospel truth. John Clark easily became the leader of the weak elements about him, assisted by William C. Lauck, Thomas Buck, Ambrose Booten, and others of lesser note. The contest revolved around the doctrine of the Eternal Union or Oneness of Christ and the Church, and the Spiritual Birth. Clark cunningly misrepresented the views of our brethren; brought in many false and baseless charges, for instance charging Beebe and Trott with denying the eternal Godhead of the Lord Jesus Christ; with other equally ridiculous charges, some of which were never before heard of; and appear to have originated in the fertile brains of Clark and his accomplices.

A more particular account of this contest is found in the “Reminiscences of the Baptist of Virginia, 1766–1902,” published in the SECTARIAN office March 1902, to which the reader who desires more information is referred.

We will, however, quote a few expressions held by this Clark party necessary for the present occasion. With reference to the birth, Clark says:

It is the same man who was born the first time, who is born the second time. Hence that man that is born again has undergone a change, the feet that were swift to shed blood are now shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; the hands in which were found deeds of violence are now clean, and lifted up, and stretched forth to God; the tongue that muttered perverseness, that framed deceit, and devised mischief, is now filled with singing, and employed as the pen of a ready writer, in extolling God and speaking of his word.^[1]

Speaking of the warfare Clark says:

The warfare, about which so much has been written, is between that part of man that is prepared in regeneration for glory, and the part that is left in its natural state to be fashioned and prepared in the resurrection.^[2]

The intelligent and careful reader will notice the complete harmony of these views with the views of Durand, Chick, Robert Thompson and others in the contest of 1886–89: though changed in phraseology to suit the modern palate. The views also of Beebe, Trott, Leachman, Dudley, Johnson and others in that (Clark) contest fully harmonize with those of our brethren in the contest and division that we are now describing.

The Virginia Corresponding Association at her session in August 1848 says:

This city has her origin in God – “I saw,” says John, “the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven.” ** Nor can we find in it the depraved natures of even the people of God, but in the new man, which, after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. And these are distinct the one from the other, though inhabiting the same tabernacle.

Here we have our views clearly presented.

At the Ketocten Association in August, 1850, the late Elder R. C. Leachman made some remarks that were objected to by some of the Clark following present; this was the active cause that led to the division, but the real cause lay deep under this surface in the absolute difference existing between the contending parties, Elder Gilbert Beebe and his brethren believing in an eternal, actual identity of the church in Christ; Elder Clark holding to a time, prospective choice in Christ; Elder Beebe holding to the birth of a spirit (life in Christ;) Elder Clark holding to the idea of the flesh born over again; born of the Spirit, &c.

In an “An Appeal to the churches of the Ketocton Association” by Elder Trott in the fall of 1850, issued after the aforementioned session of the Association in August, Elder Trott calls attention to the underhand labor, the misrepresentation, the false accusations circulated in regard to his position; and the position of other brethren agreeing with him in the contest of 1850–53, that is entirely of the character of the sly, deceptive work with our brethren had to meet in the contest of 1886–89. A meeting was held with the Ebenezer church, Loudoun County, Virginia, in November 1852,^[3] to notice the proscriptive measures adopted by the Ketocton Association of her session that year, which finally culminated in a division, the Virginia Corresponding Association, and what is commonly termed “The Eastern Association,” standing together. It will also be noticed that the move in this dropping of correspondence originated with and was made by the Clark party, just as the move in dropping correspondence originated with, and was made by the Durand, Chick, and Thompson party in 1886–89.

Endnotes

1. Clark, Exposure of Heresies, p. 44. ↩︎
2. Exposure of Heresies, p. 46. ↩︎
3. Reminiscences of the Baptists of Virginia, 1766–1902, p. 46. ↩︎