The Lord Jesus Christ established His church during His personal ministry on earth. He taught her, bought her with His blood and commissioned her to take the gospel to the world, baptize believers and teach all things Jesus commanded. The Lord personally instructed His church concerning what to teach, preach and practice. These teachings are the faith once delivered to the saints as recorded in the Bible.
Most Landmarkers agree on doctrines of truth and the practice of truth in the following categories: True churches are scriptural, true churches are always local, other religious organizations are unscriptural (Catholics, Protestants), separation from false worship (no pulpit affiliation, no open communion, no alien immersion), church succession, equal church representation, the church is sovereign under Christ and the Great Commission given to true churches only.
Church succession has several historical writers to champion its position of an unbroken line of true churches from the church Jesus built through each century to the present under several names and until the Lord comes in the air including G. H. Orchard, John T. Christian and J. M. Carroll, who wrote the Trail of Blood to teach the truth about church succession.
Preachers called Landmarkers that held dear some or all of the tenets listed above include: J. R. Graves, J. M. Pendleton, Amos Cooper Dayton, J. N. Hall, Ben M. Bogard, Thomas Treadwell Eaton and B. H. Carroll (and others).
The "Trail of Blood" traces church succession century by century from the church Jesus built until the time of its writing. Opponents of Landmarkism consider this book to be based on a flawed concept. Yet, church succession rests on the promise of Christ stated in His Word (Matt. 16:18; 22:20.)
Preachers who champion Landmark principles (willing to stand for those truths) will take much criticism from religious people, even from some in the A. B. A., which was organized on the basis of Landmark truths. May God grant His people the knowledge of the truth, the courage to practice the truth and the desire to stand for the truth until death or Jesus comes.
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Bro. ArchBishop: This is a good concise article about "Landmarkers and The Trail of Blood." It is true to the Word Of God and to the history of the people of God. Thank you. Over the years I have had the opportunity to teach a series of lesson on "The Trail of Blood." Back in the 1960's I had the privilege of having Clearance Walker as my pastor for a time. He introduces the booklet. Keep up The Good work.
ReplyDeleteVery well done. Especially pointing out that Landmarkers do not believe in successionism because of the Trail of Blood, but because it is taught in scripture. Had Bro. Carrol never written the booklet, the principle (fact) is still true.
ReplyDeleteBro looneytuneswy, was Bro Walker the pastor at Ashland Ave Baptist church in (Kentucky-I think)? I believe I have a booklet by him called
Sinners, Lost Sinners, Saved Sinners!
I called the church in Ky and got permission to make copies of it as they have not seen a copy of it in 20+ years. They did not think any existed anymore.
While I believe in succession, I can't say I trust every single ABA church comes from the succession. I just trust churches which teach and practice according to the Bible are true churches. You'd worry yourself sick trying to find out which churches go back to Christ and which ones don't. After all, I highly doubt when the true church members in the early churches were persecuted (in Acts) and scattered abroad, that they stopped to take a vote as to who would go where and which church would be formed. It was just understood the true church members as they dispersed would form new churches with the believers they found or won wherever they ended up. We probably wouldn't believe today they had "church authority" to do that, but I think God grants grace in the spirit of the law over the letter of the law in certain cases.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think about six churches in our local association were founded by an association. No record exists of one church sponsoring them. My church is one of those. While I'd never suggest or condone an association starting a mission, I trust our church to be a true church by seeing, feeling and knowing God's work here. It acts in accordance with His Word, and so He blesses it.
And what about trunk letters? Another, one last example, I know a man who the church assumed was saved, and elected him in the position of pastor. They voted for him to baptize many in a couple of years. He then got saved. I think it is a similar type thing. While I would never suggest or condone a church voting a lost man to baptize, I don't think God will require those members who moved off and never found out to be re-baptized. Again, the spirit of the law vs. the letter of the law.
Don't get me wrong, I do not want to give up ANY doctrine or scripture, I just think sometimes we might get hung up in the practicalities of things and overlook the huge picture.
Lastly, are you 100% sure EVERY single person you've baptized didn't have a hair floating on top of the water? Or maybe part of their foot came up where you couldn't see? Are you 100% sure your baptism was all the way under the water? I don't, but I trust the Lord that we tried our best and He will honor the spirit in which we did it (trying to have 100% under the water).
We need to honor the spirit of the law by maintaining the letter of the law. But only if that law is of God and now man.
ReplyDeleteSo we need to just try to determine which parts are traditional rules placed by man based on the principles of scripture and which are directly of God.
dated: 2/16/2009
ReplyDeleteBrother Mike in Oregon ask: -- "Bro looneytuneswy, was Bro. Walker the pastor at Ashland Ave Baptist church in (Kentucky-I think)? I believe I have a booklet by him called "Sinners, Lost Sinners, Saved Sinners!"
The answer is yes, Bro. Clarence Walker was pastor at Ashland Ave. Baptist, Lexington, KY, from 1916 til his death in 1966.
When I was a member at Ashland Avenue, he was in a wheel chair and He would preach laying his Bible on a typing table (set beside the pulpit). He had two associate pastors, Bro. Carl E. Sadler and Bro. Edward Overbey who would preach in the 8:30 a. m. service. These brethren were also teachers in the Lexington Baptist College. They were also sound Lankmarkers. The LBC was started as a Monday night preacher's school in about 1952. I t is no longer in existence.
{Bro. Overbey wrote a very good booklet entitled "The Meaning of Ecclesia." He also wrote two books: "A Brief History of the Baptists" and "A Brief Study of The Bible." I have ditto machine copies of commentaries written by Bro. Sadler on the books of Acts; Romans; 1 & 2 Corinthians which are quite extensive.}
I believe I have at least one copy of this booklet "Sinners, Lost Sinners, Saved Sinners!"
Bro. Walker was a Lankmarker (he beleived the church was local only) in the same vein (way) as was J. R. Graves & J. M. Pendleton. He believed in Baptist Succession and/or Baptist perpetuity. Jesus promised that His kind of Church would continue to be in existence until His return. This is seen Matthew 16:18 (KJV) "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock (Christ, Himself) I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." and when He gave the great commission to His church in Matthew 28:18-20 when He states verse 10 "...and, lo, I am with you (His churches) alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
Bro. Walker mentions Dr. J. W. Porter (who encouraged Bro. J. M. Carroll to write his lectures) who was the pastor at the First Baptist Church in Lexington sometime in the early 1900's. Dr. Porter wrote two books of which I am familiar I think they are entitled something like this: "What The Baptist Owe The World" and What The World Owe To The Baptist."
Bro. Younglandmarker, I hope I have not used too much space in my digression. Please forgive me. My God bless you all.
Correction on the titles of Dr. John William Porter's two books of which I mentioned in my previous comments. They are entitled: "The Baptist Debt to The World" and "The World's Debt To The Baptists." (This last has chapters entitled 'Bible Translation and Circulation' and 'Baptist Perpetuity.') If you are interested they are now reprinted (1991) by
ReplyDeleteBaptist Heritage Press
P.O. Box 112
Wilmington, Ohia 45177
These were originally published in Louisville, KY 1914
On pp. 140, 141 of "The World's Debt To The Baptists." Dr. Porter said referring to Matthew 16:18 that
"If these words teach anything, they teach that the churches instituted by Christ and the Apostles would never die, but would reproduce and multiply and perpetuate themselves to the end of time. If the words of the Master are true, and they are, there has never been a moment since the days of Christ when his churches were not in existence. If there has been such a time, then the words of Christ have failed of fulfillment. Our contention is that Baptists have been used to fulfill the words of Christ, and that Baptist churches are not only identical in faith and policy with the churches instituted by Christ, but are the legitimate successors of the churches organized by Christ Jesus and the Apostles."
-----END OF QUOTE-----
I say amen and amen. My addendum to this is to say (and sadly so) that not all churches that bear the name Baptist are true New Testament churches. Only churches that believe and practice the true doctrines of the New Testament are true. The doctrinal statement of our church here in Gillette is the same as that printed in the Sunday School Quarterlies of the ABA. That is, not to say, that all churches that fellowship in the ABA agree with that statement of Faith and Practice. And many who do not fellowship in the ABA agree and do practice this doctrinal statement, or one very close to it that we as Landmarkers hold near and dear. Of course, ultimately we say and believe that the Bible and more specifically the New Testament is our rule of Faith and Practice. The maintaining of this is the reason that 50 million of our forefathers give their lives. They loved Jesus and His teachings enough to "...contend for the faith once delivered to the saints."
To clarify what I said earlier... I agree 100% we should do EVERYTHING in our power to make absolutely sure we baptize the person's entire body, and I agree 100% we should adhere to every scripture and even every doctrine found in the ABA.
ReplyDeleteI was just saying I can't be 100% sure every person I've baptized was 100%, just because as humans, we might make mistakes. If I realized the mistake, I'd correct it. But we even make mistakes we don't always catch. That is all I was trying to say, that so long as we do our absolute best to make sure we are following 100% in accordance with the scripture, God will honor it. If a hair was floating, or a toenail came up in baptize and no one knew it including the preacher and person baptizing, do you think God would not honor the baptism? As long as EVERYONE there believes he was fully dipped, the picture still stands the same as though he/she had been (since noone saw otherwise.)
One more thing... I do believe Jesus built his church upon himself, it reproduced and true churches have existed through out all time since it began. I would just wonder how one ties Matthew 16:18 to the perpetuity? The gates of hell, as any gates, aren't for attacking. Gates are for defending. Keeping in or letting out. I'm not aware of anyone using gates to attack someone. While I agree with true churches existing throughout history, and I believe it is a principle taught by the scripture which (paraphrased) says glory would be to God in the church through Jesus for all ages.
ReplyDeleteExcellent Post! I just finished reading "Pillars of Orthodoxy or Defenders of the Faith" by Ben Bogard and enjoyed the brief biographies of many of these men. What is interesting is that J.B. Jeter was included. Thanks looneytuneswy for the history of the Lexinton church. It pieced together a few historical puzzle pieces for me.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Roger Wilson. I was raised in the Ashland Avenue Baptist church and remember many of ro. Walker's sermons. I have been looking for a copy of that booklet, Sinners, Lost Sinners, Saved Sinners for years. If someone has it and would be willing to send it to me I would gladly pay all the costs. Roger Wilson 4085 AL Hwy 68E Gaylesville, AL 35973
ReplyDelete