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2 Free Will Baptist Bodies 3 External links 4 Sources |
Historical sketch
The rise of Free Will Baptists can be traced to the influence of General Baptists from England who settled in the American colonies. Much of their early history is clouded in obscurity. In 1702, settlers in Carolina wrote a request for help to the General Baptist association in England. Though no help was forthcoming, Paul Palmer would labor among these people 25 years later, founding the first "Free Will" Baptist church in Chowan, North Carolina in 1727. Palmer organized at least three churches in North Carolina. His labors, though important, were short. Leadership would descend to Joseph Parker, William Parker, Josiah Hart, William Sojourner and others. Joseph Parker was part of the organization of the Chowan church and ministered among the Carolina churches for over 60 years. From one church in 1727, they grew to over 20 churches by 1755. After 1755, missionary labors conducted by the Philadelphia Baptist Association converted most of these churches to the Particular Baptist positions of unconditional election and limited atonement. By 1770, only 4 churches and 4 ministers remained of the General Baptist persuasion. By the end of 18th century, these churches were commonly referred to as "Free Will Baptist."
While the movement in the south was struggling, a new movement rose in the north through the work of Benjamin Randall (1749-1808). Randall initially united with the Particular or Regular Baptists in 1776, but broke with them in 1779 due to their strict views on predestination. In 1780, Randall formed a "Free" or "Free Will" Baptist church in New Durham, New Hampshire. By 1782 twelve churches had been founded, and they organized a Quarterly Meeting. In 1792 a Yearly Meeting was organized. This northern line of Free Will Baptists expanded rapidly, but were nearly extinguished in 1911, when the majority of the churches (and all the denominational property) merged with the Northern Baptist Convention. A remnant of churches in the Randall movement reorganized as the Cooperative General Association of Free Will Baptists in 1917.
The churches in the "Palmer" line organized various associations and conferences, and finally organized a General Conference in 1921. Fraternal relations had existed between the northern and southern Free Will Baptists, but the question of slavery, and later the Civil War, prevented any formal union. Representatives of the "Palmer" and "Randall" groups met in Nashville, Tennessee, on November 5, 1935, and organized the National Association of Free Will Baptists.
Free Will Baptist Bodies
External links
Sources