The Black Rock Address

• INTRODUCTION
• TRACT SOCIETIES
• SUNDAY SCHOOLS
• BIBLE SOCIETIES
• MISSIONS
• THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS
• PROTRACTED MEETINGS
• CONCLUSIONS
• Minutes of the Proceedings
• Minutes of the Second Black Rock Meeting
• CONCLUDING ADDRESS
• Footnotes

INTRODUCTION

To the Particular Baptist Churches of the "Old School" in the United States:

Brethren, It constitutes a new era in the history of the Baptists, when those who would follow the Lord fully, and who therefore manifest a solicitude to be, in all things pertaining to religion, conformed to the Pattern showed in the mount, are by Baptists charged with antinomianism, inertness, stupidity, &c., for refusing to go beyond the word of God; but such is the case with us.

Brethren, we would not shun reproach, nor seek an exemption from persecution; but we would affectionately entreat those Baptists who revile us themselves, or who side with such as do, to pause and consider how far they have departed from the ancient principles of the Baptists, and how that in reproaching us they stigmatize the memory of those whom they have been used to honor as eminent and useful servants, of Christ; and of those who have borne the brunt of the persecutions leveled against the Baptists in former ages. For it is a well-known fact that it was in ages past a uniform and distinguishing trait in the character of the Baptists, that they required a "Thus saith the Lord," that is, direct authority from the word of God for the order and practice, as well as the doctrine, they received in religion.

It is true that many things to which we object as departures from the order established by the great Head of the church, through the ministry of his apostles, are by others considered to be connected with the very essence of religion, and absolutely necessary to the prosperity of Christ's kingdom. They attach great value to them, because human wisdom suggests their importance. We allow the Head of the church alone to judge for us; we therefore esteem those things to be of no use to the cause of Christ, which he has not himself instituted.

We will notice severally the claims of the principal of these modern inventions, and state some of our objections to them for your candid consideration.