Emmanuel Landmark
Baptist Church
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Introduction
There are many ideas about Landmarkism and therefore many misconceptions
as to what constitutes a Landmark Baptist Church. There are many today
who claim to be "Landmarkers", yet they maintain practices, which in my
opinion, are inconsistent with that claim. I believe that the essence of
"Landmarkism" involves an intense caring about the things of God, which
compels us as His people to handle the things of God with honesty and integrity.
Those are certainly core issues in the admonition of our text. What I would
like to do in this series of articles is examine the Foundational Principles
of Landmarkism and the practices of our Baptist Forefathers. We as Baptist
need to drink afresh from that fountain of sacred truth, the scriptures,
and revisit the landmarks of our Faith, which were set by our Baptist Fathers
in times past. If we do not renew our understanding of, and our commitment
to earnestly contend for this faith which was once delivered to the saints;
many of this generation of Baptists stand in danger not only of loosing
the right to call itself "Landmarkers", but New Testament Churches!
Old Testament Background
When the Children of Israel were still camped about Mt. Sinai, God
instructed them concerning the Land, which He would give them. When they
entered and conquered the land, it was to be divided up to each tribe and
family by lot. This lot or portion was their heritage and inheritance.
It was to remain within that tribe and family perpetually, throughout all
of their generations, "The land shall not be sold forever:, If thy brother
be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of
his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother
sold. And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem
it: then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the over
plus unto the man to whom he sold it: that he may return unto his possession.
But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall
remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee:
and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.
…. for it is their perpetual possession. Lev.25:23-34. This is why
Naboth refused to sell his vineyard to Ahab, I Kings 21:1-3. He had respect
to the commandment of God. That is what the landmark was, a stone or a
pile of stones, which marked the boundary between one property and its
neighbors. If moved it would defraud the neighbor of his property and if
removed all together it erased any boundaries or guides that people might
go by. In a spiritual sense it is like saying there are no absolutes, no
laws that govern our actions, our behavior, our comings and goings, no
accountability. So the "Landmarks" were of extreme importance to the people
and to God. In like manner, the "Faith" (truth) of Christ and His Church
was once delivered unto the saints (our forefathers in the faith), Jude
:3. This is our heritage. It is perpetual though all of our generations,
and is not to be sold, given away nor neglected, "Unto him be glory in
the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
Eph. 3:21. Church truth is of extreme importance to Baptists and to Jesus
Christ our Lord.
J. R. Graves and J. M. Pendleton and the term "Old Landmarkers" In 1846, Graves, then a young Baptist pastor, became the editor of "The Tennessee Baptist" and began "agitating" the question of the validity of alien baptism ( any baptism administered by anyone other than by a Baptist) and the propriety of Baptists recognizing by any act, Pedobaptist (infant baptizers) societies or preachers as churches and ministers of Christ. This eventually led to the convention at Cotton Grove, Tennessee and the "Cotton Grove Resolutions". Graves presented to the convention a series of questions. The first was this, "Can Baptist, consistently with their principles or the scriptures, recognize those societies not organized according to the pattern of the Jerusalem Church, but possessing different governments, different officers, a different class of members, different ordinances, doctrines and practices, as churches of Christ?" This and the other 4 questions, which proceeded from the first, were unanimously answered at the convention in the negative. To this decision the Baptist of Tennessee and Baptist all over the South agreed. Now let J. R. Graves in his own words describe how the term, "Old Landmarkers" came to be applied to those Baptist who continue to walk in the "old paths" and "earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints". "The name of Old landmarkers came in this way. In 1854, J.M. Pendleton, of Kentucky, wrote an essay upon this question at my special request, viz: 'Ought Baptists to recognize Pedobaptist preachers as gospel misisters ?' which I brought out in tract form, and gave it the title, 'An Old Landmark Reset.' This calm discussion, which had an immense circulation in the South, was reviewed by many of the leading writers, North and South, and they, by the way of reproach, called all Baptists 'Old Landmarkers' who accepted his conclusions, and the impression was sought to be made that Brother Pendleton and myself were aiming at dividing the denomination and starting a new sect. From this brief history it will be seen that we, who only deem ourselves 'strict Baptists,' are not responsible for the name, but our opposers. But that we have no reason to be ashamed of it will be seen by every one who will read this little book. Why should we object to the name 'Old Landmarkers,' when those ancient Anabaptists, whom we alone represent in this age, were content to be called Cathari and Puritans, which terms mean the same thing as Old Landmarkers? " See Graves' book "Old Landmarkism What Is It?" In Graves' day the issues of concern to Baptist were questions of authority, alien baptism, ordination, pulpit affiliation and open communion. Those with whom they were contending were Free will Baptist, Hardshell Baptists, Campbellites and Pedobaptists. Today the issues have taken on different twists as the number of Protestant societies has increased and the number of Baptist groups has multiplied. In 1793, according to Asplund, 92% of Baptist in America were "Particular" Baptist i.e. they held to limited atonement. In Graves' day the majority of Baptist were still of the "Particular" variety. However in our own time the majority of Baptist in America have become Protestants in their view of the church and Fullerites on the doctrine of atonement. In other words they are not 5 point Calvinists, nor are they "Landmark" Baptist as our forefathers had been. At the same time, thanks to the diligence of Baptist in proclaiming and defending the truth against the false claims and teachings of the Pedobaptists, there are many Protestant groups today which practice only the immersion of adult believers or "believers baptism". Many Baptist today receive this alien baptism as valid. Satan is constantly recycling old heresies. When a heresy becomes too well known and refuted, Satan changes the wording and makes it sound more like the truth which he wishes to corrupt and reintroduces it as though it is the same as the true doctrine he designs to supplant. We must remain ever vigilant and aware of the wiles of our adversary the Devil.
Who are the real Landmark Baptists today? Today, as in Graves'
day, they are the "strict" Baptists who keep the ordinances as they were
delivered and earnestly contend for the faith. In the 1600's and 1700's,
the churches were known as "Particular" Baptists because they held to the
scriptural doctrine of particular redemption. They were 5 point Calvinists.
During the 1800's and 1900's these same Baptist ( who were 5 pointers )
became known as "Landmark" Baptists, because of their stand for church
truth and practice, which was beginning to give way to the influences of
Protestantism. Today we have Reform Baptist, some Southern Baptist as well
as many Protestants who are 5 point Calvinists in their theology, but they
hate Landmarkism. We also have A.B.A. (American Baptist Association ) churches,
other Baptist Association churches, and some Independent Baptist churches
that call themselves "Landmark" Baptists, but they hate the doctrine of
"Sovereign Grace" or Calvinism. None of these groups truly represents our
Baptist forefathers in Faith and Practice. Most unfortunately there is
today a third group of Baptist among us who represent the greatest threat
to the Lord's churches. They are the most dangerous because they are the
most difficult to identify until the damage has been done. They are the
"wolves" in sheep's clothing, the false brethren who rise up from among
us to lead our people astray after their own selves. They are the ones
who in word, claim to be "Sovereign Grace Landmark" Baptists, but in deed
and practice deny those same great principles of scripture. They blur the
line of distinction between truth and error, between Baptist and Protestantism.
They are removing the ancient landmarks which our fathers have set. This
has become a serious problem for us today for it is becoming increasingly
difficult to identify those churches that one can truly fellowship as a
"Landmark" Baptist. "Shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew
thee my faith by my works." James 2:14-18. A person's practice declares
more accurately his faith, than all the statements and declarations he
may ever make. Only by examining ones practice as well as his profession
can we truly find those Pastors and Churches that we may count as of
"Like Faith and Order".
In Summary:
The "Body of Doctrine and Divinity", which comprises "The Faith" which
was once delivered by Christ and his Apostles to the Saints is the Heritage
proper of the "Church that Jesus built". The precepts and examples of the
New Testament, are the basis of the great PRINCIPLES of truth, which is
the great Master Pattern upon which every "Landmark Baptist" church is
based. " For, see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the
pattern shewed to thee in the mount", Heb. 8:5 When errors, heresies, and
questions arose to trouble the churches; the decisions, policies, stands,
and actions of our Baptist forefathers, based upon their understanding
of the "principles" of the scripture and the "pattern", became the "ancient
LANDMARKS which our fathers have set". They serve much like the legal precedence
in jurisprudence. Their acceptance, adoption and practice by the churches
established them as LANDMARKS and thus the practice of all true Landmark
Baptists to this day.
- I hope this modest effort will encourage our true Baptist brethren
to continue to appreciate and earnestly contend for the faith once delivered
to the saints and preserved by our forefathers in the faith with such sacrifice.
"And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of
bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were
tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and
goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was
not worthy: ) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and
caves of the earth " Heb. 11:36-38 As Landmark Baptists, we have
a duty and an obligation to know, understand and to maintain the landmarks
as they have come down to us from our great Baptist forefathers. "Keep
the ordinances as they were delivered" ICor. 11:2
In our next installment (due in Feb.) we will examine some of the PRINCIPLE teachings of Landmarkism.
- Grace not only is the operation of God in us that saves us by
His sovereign good pleasure, but his grace also teaches us some things.
And just as God's grace is sovereign in salvation, we find it to be sovereign
in teaching us. Which is summed up in three (3) words: Soberly, Righteously,
Godly.
- I. Soberly defined as sound minded, discreet, self controlled, moderation,
temperate. II Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Our relationship / responsibility
to ourselves, "do right by yourself."
II. Righteously defined as as it is fit, proper, right, honestly. Not injuring anyone. Romans 13:8-10 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Our relationship / responsibility to others, "do right by others."
III. Godly is defined as reverent, devout, pious. Psalm 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. Our relationship / responsibility to God, "do right by God."
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