Baptists and the Open (Fast Closing) Door of Religious Liberty

[The following article is taken in part from a sermon I preached on July 4th, 2001. In light of recent controversies over faith-based legislation, etc. I thought this information may be useful and timely.]

Modern America, if not the whole world itself, owes a great debt to Baptists for many reasons. God used Baptists to open the door of religious liberty. Baptists have been the traditional defenders of religious liberty for at least three reasons:

1. They are not interested in unsaved people joining their churches; they reject infant baptism according to the Scriptures. But a Church-State system needs infant baptism to keep the lost masses in their State churches.
2. They have usually embraced literal interpretation
3. They have been the most persecuted of all religious groups in history.

Both Catholics and Protestants persecuted Baptists throughout history:

“The history of Romanism is a heart-rending record of spiritual tyranny – of chains, dungeons, tortures, and fires. When the churches of Northern Europe threw off the papal yoke…they retained the intolerant views and spirit of their recent rulers….The Protestant sects of the sixteenth century – Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Episcopalians – invested with civil authority, or able to influence secular rulers, were intolerant…”
(Jeter, “Baptist Principles Reset”)

Some seeds of religious liberty were indeed found in the early Reformers. However, they often sought to set up a new Church-State system that was simply a “daughter” of the “Mother” Harlot system (Rev.17:5). We therefore cannot look to Catholics or Protestants as the pioneers of true religious toleration.

We can’t even look to the persecuted Pilgrims as the fathers of religious liberty! John Robinson is often called the “father of the Pilgrims”. In 1610, he almost accompanied them in sailing to America. He wrote in defense of the power of the State to punish RELIGIOUS actions. According to Robinson, the State should have the power to:

“punish civilly, religious actions…he being the preserver of both tables and so to punish all branches of both…[and] by compulsion, repress public and notable idolatry.”

The true pioneers of religious liberty (in recent times) will be found in the early BAPTISTS of England and America. John Smyth (1570-1612) was opposed to Robinson and his ideas. He had left England in 1608 to take refuge in Holland. He and a group of Baptists returned back to England to challenge the king and the State and not to give way, even a foot, on the subject of religious liberty. The war of the pen raged between Robinson and Smyth in regard to religious toleration and the power of the State. Roger Williams (1603-1683) was a young boy when this controversy was raging between these preachers. This brings us to the year 1611.

1611 was an important year for two reasons:

Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an OPEN DOOR, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast KEPT MY WORD, and hast not denied my name.

Looking at the Seven Churches in a secondary, prophetic sense (without denying the direct, doctrinal application to seven, literal churches in the 1st century after Paul’s imprisonment), we see two things in the Church of Philadelphia in Rev.3:8. We see the “Word” of God and we see an “open door.” The Bible was translated to perfection in 1611. God used King James, just as He had used Cyrus in the OT (read Isa.45:1-6, 44:28, Ez.1:2 to see an amazing similarity between the two). It was also in 1611 that Smyth and the Baptists published a confession of faith defending religious liberty and true toleration!:

“… the magistrate is not by virtue of his office to meddle with religion, or matters of conscience, to force or compel men to this or that form of religion, or doctrine: but to leave Christian religion free, to every man’s conscience … for Christ only is the king, and lawgiver of the church and conscience (James 4:12).” (John Smyth, “Propositions and Conclusions”; 1611)

Robinson (“the father of the Pilgrims”) attacked this confession in 1614. At that time, another Baptist, Leonard Busher entered the controversy on the side of religious liberty. He wrote:

“…as kings and bishops cannot command the wind, so they cannot command faith….IT IS NOT ONLY UNMERCIFUL, BUT UNNATURAL AND ABOMINABLE; YEA, MONSTROUS FOR ONE CHRISTIAN TO VEX AND DESTROY ANOTHER FOR DIFFERENCE AND QUESTIONS OF RELIGION.” (Leonard Busher, “Religion’s Peace: A Plea for Liberty of Conscience”; 1614)

Busher meant what he wrote. He even defended the rights of Jews and Catholics to print, write and speak their views. It was in this environment, in the midst of this controversy, (between Baptists and Separatists, Puritans, etc.) that young Roger Williams grew into a man.

Williams sailed for America in 1630. In America, he began preaching religious liberty. He was persecuted by the Puritans and banished in 1635, where he traveled in the wilderness for 14 weeks with no bed or bread, among wild animals and Indians. In 1636, he purchased some land from the Indians and settled in what became Providence, R.I. In 1638 he formed a voluntary government where people had to submit to the government “in civil things only.” In 1644 he secured a Charter from the king (mainly to protect his colony from the Puritans). In 1647 it was formally adopted and the laws of religious liberty were enacted. Williams became the first legislator to fully recognize religious liberty. Anne Hutchinson’s sister converted Williams to Baptist beliefs (for a time). Therefore, once again, we see religious liberty growing out of Baptist soil. It was certainly not found among the Puritans that persecuted Williams in the New England colony. These Puritans also persecuted other defenders of religious liberty.

John Clarke, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Newport, Rhode Island, wrote a document called “Ill Newes From New England.” John Clark (1609-1676) associated himself with Wheelwright and the Hutchinsons in 1637 upon landing in New England and finding the same type of religious persecution he had just left in Old England. In 1638, the Mass. colony banished Wheelwright for teaching free grace. The Hutchinsons would be banished for the same reason. In 1639, Clark and the banished Hutchinson party founded New Port R.I. Clark founded the 1st Baptist church there. Notice Clark’s clear defense of religious liberty:

“We find the primitive Christians were meek, and gentle, and yet able by sound doctrine both to exhort, and convince the gainsayers, who called not for carnal weapons…but declared their weapons were mighty through God, and either by the word and a good conversation won men to the acknowledgement of the truth as it is in Jesus, or else left them without excuse together with the world, unto the judgment of the great day of the Lord…I testify that no servant of Christ Jesus hath any liberty, much less authority from His Lord to smite his fellowservant…It is not the will of the Lord that one should have dominion over another man’s conscience…” (John Clark, “Ill Newes From New England,” 1652; pp.103)

Before continuing with the history of Baptists in regard to religious liberty, I would like to call attention to another event that occurred around this same time period. Many history books attempt to glorify Catholicism as a “defender of religious liberty” in Maryland. This is rubbish. The real story is that Catholics were persecuted in England; but many did not come over to the Catholic colony. Therefore, Maryland became primarily a Protestant colony with a Catholic over-lord and government. In 1648, to keep control, Lord Baltimore was therefore forced to take the power out of the hands of his small Catholic minority. Yet, afraid that these Protestants, once in control would persecute the Catholics, he passed the religious Toleration Act of 1649 to protect his Catholic brethren! But this “toleration act” did not have much to do with TRUE toleration. It was far from saying that the civil government has no right before God to force a man’s conscience in the realm of religion. Notice the wording of this Act:

“That whatsoever person or persons within this Province and the Islands thereunto belonging shall from henceforth blaspheme God, that is Curse him, or deny our Saviour Jesus Christ to bee the sonne of God, or shall deny the holy Trinity the father sonne and holy Ghost…shall be punished with DEATH and confiscation or forfeiture of all his or her lands and goods to the Lord Proprietary and his heires. And bee it also Enacted by the Authority and with the advise and assent aforesaid, That whatsoever person or persons shall from henceforth use or utter any reproachfull words or Speeches concerning the blessed Virgin Mary the Mother of our Saviour or the holy Apostles or Evangelists or any of them shall in such case for the first offence forfeit to the said Lord Proprietary and his heirs Lords and Proprietaries of this Province the summe of five pound Sterling or the value thereof to be Levyed on the goods and chattells of every such person soe offending, but in case such Offender or Offenders, shall not then have goods and chattells sufficient for the satisfyeing of such forfeiture, or that the same bee not otherwise speedily satisfyed that then such Offender or Offenders shall be publiquely WHIPT…”
(Maryland Toleration Act, 1649)

The Act goes on to even forbid calling any other religious group a reproachful name! This is the only case of religious liberty in any manner connected to Roman Catholicism, and it is a weak case at that!

Five years or so before the Revolutionary War, in Mass., every person was taxed to support the local minister. The Baptists were persecuted and their lands confiscated. Baptists in Rhode Island, Philadelphia, etc. raised money to support their brethren, and Isaac Backus was called as the general agent of the Baptists to stand up and awaken a spirit in favor of liberty of conscience. Backus (1724-1806) wrote “An Appeal to the Public for Religious Liberty” in 1773. He brought the issue up before the first Continental Congress in 1774, in Philadelphia. Shortly thereafter, the following resolution was adopted:

“On reading the memorial of the Rev. Isaac Backus, agent to the Baptist Churches in this Government, Resolved, That the establishment of civil and religious liberty to each denomination in the province is the sincere wish of this Congress; but being by no means vested with the powers of civil government, whereby they can redress the grievances of any person whatever, they therefore recommend to the Baptist Churches that when a general Assembly shall be convened in this Colony, they lay the real grievances of said churches before the same… By order of the Congress, John Hancock, President.” (1774)

Therefore, religious liberty in America began as a measure to defend persecuted Baptists. After the Revolutionary War, nothing much had changed for the Baptists. They therefore brought the issue up before the new government. In August, 1789, a committee of the Baptist Churches in Virginia presented an address to General Washington stating:

“[We]…fear that our religious rights were not well secured in our new Constitution of government.”

The very next month, an amendment was passed declaring that Congress should ‘make no law respecting any establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Therefore, the First Amendment of the Constitution was initiated by Baptists! The Methodists and Episcopalians, at this time, wanted religion by the State.

The U.S. led the way among the nations of the world. Therefore, the nations that are free today (to whatever degree), owe a debt to God and the Baptists He used as His instruments:

“The adoption of the Constitution, with its first amendment, before quoted, placed the United States foremost of all nations of the earth in recognizing and sustaining the great truths of religious liberty.” (Thomas F. Curtis, “The Progress of Baptist Principles”, 1855)

“Congress declared the first amendment to the Constitution to be in force December 15, 1791, which granted religious liberty to all citizens, Baptists are credited with being the leaders in bringing this blessing to the nation.” (J.M. Carroll, “The Trail of Blood”)

The part the Baptists played in bringing religious liberty to America (and making it the greatest nation on earth!) was at one time confessed by the greatest of historians and political thinkers:

“Freedom of conscience, unlimited freedom of mind, was from the first the trophy of the Baptists.” (George Bancroft, “History of the United States,” 1840)

“The Baptists were the first propounders of absolute liberty, just and true liberty, equal and impartial liberty.” (John Locke)

I will remind some of my modern Baptist brethren that God did not simply command us to “keep the door of religious liberty open.” He commanded us to preach the Gospel to all nations and teach His commandments to the new disciples (Mt.28). I am as worried about the door closing as any man. Yet, I am most worried about meeting Jesus Christ on the day of Judgment and giving account for the extent I obeyed the Great Commission based on the degree of opportunity I possessed. In this wonderful land of America, I possess much liberty to preach and witness. If Christians do not begin witnessing in this country (and around the world), we just might find that on the other side of the door you are trying to keep open is God Himself! He has often closed doors of opportunity to discipline His slothful people. Now don’t sit there acting like you don’t understand. Go to your pastor and tell him to allow some deacons to head up a soul winning ministry a few nights of the week, and on Saturday (so no one in church will have an excuse not to participate!), and then show up, ready to go door to door or hit the streets with the simple Gospel! You don’t think it is a problem in America? I tell you it is the MAIN REASON the door is closing. Perhaps this last news item will convince you:

“A new survey by the Barna Research Group finds that most Protestants do not tell others about Jesus. According to the survey, only one out of every three adults attending a Protestant church shared their faith with a nonbeliever last year. Also, a MAJORITY of adults who attend BAPTIST churches, which are known for their evangelistic focus, did not witness in the last year.” (AgapePress, July 11, 2001)

If you felt some Baptist pride in reading this article, you can now hang your head and lament for Baptist churches and for your country, as David lamented for Saul and Jonathan:

2 Samuel 1:27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

#123pt.2 (7-22-01)