Baptists in America: A History

by Thomas S. Kidd

The antimission schism went fully national in 1832, with a convention of twenty-two elders and laymen held at Black Rock, Maryland. In an address directed to “the Particular Baptist Churches of the ‘Old School,’” delegates regretted that their former brethren, sucked in by missionary charlatans, now charged them with “antinomianism, inertness, stupidity, &c., for refusing to go beyond the word of God.” They denounced not only the usual societies but also “sectarian colleges,” including Baptist schools, because such institutions imply that “our distinct views of church government of gospel doctrine and gospel ordinances, are connected with human sciences.” This was “a principle which we cannot admit.” They further opposed institutionalized revival or camp meetings and extrabiblical inventions like the anxious seat (a pew at the front of churches where revivalists would pray for those in the travail of conversion). They could not countenance assemblies where “all the borrowed machinery from Methodist campmeetings is introduced,” nor did they wish to see if “a four days’ meeting will not induce the Holy Ghost to produce a revival among us commensurate with the strange fire enkindled by others.” The Holy Spirit was not “somehow so the creature of human feelings that he is led to regenerate persons by our getting their animal feelings excited.” They welcomed all like-minded Baptists to attend future national assemblies.