The following is the Advertisement that was printed in the first edition of Orchard's history in 1838:
My Young Christian Friends,
The reason for the following work is soon assigned. While on a visit to a friend in Somersetshire, in 1823, a minister of the Independent persuasion panegyrized Dr. Carey to me and others, as the individual who raised the Baptists out of obscurity; and further remarked, that "they had no existence before the days of the Commonwealth." The respectability and age of the minister did not allow me, a young man, and unacquainted as I was with our history, to negative his assertion, only by a relieving hint, "'that from the days of John the Baptists, until now,' I believed our denomination had had an existence." I was resolved to be satisfied on this subject, particularly since this assertion has appeared in print; but there was no volume to which I could be directed, that would meet the inquiries and solicitude of my mind. Mr. Ivimey's work was of the English Baptists; Mr. Crosby's was of the same character; Mr. Danvers enters into the question, but gives no historic connexion. I wrote to Mr. Jones, author of the History of the Christian Church, and his work on (on his recommendation) I procured; and this valuable history gave me the clue to the church of God. I had now to ascertain the views the different parties advocated, which cost me very considerable application, and the result fully satisfied my inquiries. After some years' reading, and making extracts from authors, on the subject of my investigation, I resolved on throwing my materials into chronological order, to exhibit the feature of a connected history. This done, I became fully satisfied; and established the proof of what Robinson conjectured, that "the English Baptists, contending for the sufficiency of Scripture, and for Christian liberty to judge of its meaning, can be traced back in authentic documents, to the first Nonconformists and to the Apostles."
In the course of my reading, materials so accumulated on my hands, as to enable me to furnish facts sufficient to make a compendious history of the Baptists in various provinces; from their rise, to their being scattered or extinguished; and which facts are submitted in the following pages. Nor do I fear contradiction, since I have taken the most accredited historians, and have preferred, in most instances, the testimonies of men hostile to our communion.
The ensuing facts, with many more, were selected to satisfy my own inquires; but when I had placed them in a connective form, I thought they might be useful to others similarly circumstances, and might render some aid to inquiring youths in our churches, conducing, perhaps, to the removal of a portion of that visible ignorance, as to the early features of our denomination; particularly, since it has been said, that "the Baptists may be considered as the only Christian community which has stood since the times of the Apostles; and as a Christian society, which has preserved pure the doctrines of the gospel through all ages." This statement we consider to be proved in the following pages, where authors are quoted, supporting these facts.
It is stated in the most satisfactory manner, that all Christian communities during the first three centuries were of the Baptist denomination, in constitution and practice. In the middle of the third century, the Novatian Baptists established separate and independent societies, which continued till the end of the sixth age; when these communities were succeeded by the Paterines, which continued till the Reformation. The oriental Baptist Churches, with their successors, the Paulicians, continued in their purity until the tenth century, when these people visited France, resuscitating and extending the Christian profession in Languedoc, where they flourished till the crusading army scattered, or drowned in blood, one million of unoffending professors
The Baptists in Piedmont and Germany are exhibited as existing under different names, down to the Reformation; these churches, with their genuine successors, the Mennonites in Holland, are connectedly and chronologically detailed to the present period, for proof which, see the body of the work.
The writer is aware that Dr. Stennett collected materials for this very object, and Mr. B. Stinton commenced a History of the Baptists; but both of these excellent men were removed by death, before they had made any progress in the work. The deficiency was felt in the connexion, and our London ministers directed the attention of Mr. Robert Robinson to the subject, requesting his services in this department. "After the labour of years, and wading through loads of books," he issued the History of Baptism, which satisfied no one but himself. His Ecclesiastical Researches were published after his death. This work is valuable, and its importance would have been increased, had not his aversion been so prominent to the evangelical party, and the innocency of mental errors so frequently justified. Mr. Allen in his "Junius," made many extracts from early writers, but produced no history. In the Baptist Magazine, some very valuable extracts have been exhibited from Allen's Junius and early writers, but nothing of a clear, connected history has been produced by any. A History of the Baptist Denomination was still a desideratum.Free admission to the extensive libraries of Earl Spenser and the Duke of Bedford, is gratefully acknowledged; from which sources the writer had drawn some portion of the denominational materials now submitted.
The ground of unity and denominational claim to the people whose Christian characters are detailed, is not the harmony of their creeds or views; this was not visible or essential in the first age: but THE BOND OF UNION, among our denomination in all ages, has been FAITH IN CHRIST; and that faith PUBLICLY EXPRESSED, by a voluntary submission to his authority and doctrine in baptism. Wherever this conduct is evident, we claim the disciple as belonging to our communion and of primitive character, at the same time leaving his mind in the full enjoyment of his native and purchased freedom; and in establishing this association, we feel no difficulty or dishonour, since almost every denomination has, from their honourable and holy characters, claimed affinity to them in faith and practice, though such claims are not supported by family likeness.
That the ordinance of baptism has been diverted from its original assignment and place in the Christian church, has been allowed by the violators of the primitive order. It has been awfully abused, and its original simplicity obscured; but ultimately, TRUTH will prevail, and when its legitimate influence shall be allowed, and the remaining vestiges of papacy shall have been removed from the Christian church, it will be seen and admitted, that infant baptism has ever been the bourn to his reign and influence, who has been emphatically denominated, the man of sin.
Most modern historians have been of the Pedobaptist persuasion. These writers have, in a general way, suppressed in their details those evidences of believers' baptism, which abound in early writers. This omission in their histories was intended, that the modern practice [of infant baptism] may not be disturbed, and themselves condemned as innovators, by the records and practice of early churches. These writers, from the pope to the peasant, have united in suppressing and extinguishing part of the truth; consequently, it was necessary to collate writings, histories, and documents, before the dawn of the German Reformation, in order to get at the whole truth; and strange to say, while ministers of religion, for party purposes, have suppressed certain denominational features, Voltaire, Hume, Gibbon, and other infidel with deistical writers, have in these respects faithfully and openly recorded events, and have been more impartial in their details than many modern divines.
The author has found it necessary to use the specific names of the denomination more frequently in this history than might be agreeable to some readers. The reluctancy of some moderns to allow of the early and reputable existence of this class of Christians, made it necessary that the terms Baptist, Anabaptist, &c., should be often mentioned, to prevent misconstruction, and the more fully to establish the object the writer had in view.
He has also kept unadorned facts prominently forward. These are the stubborn materials of history. In many instances, he has copied the language of able historians, and here he acknowledges his obligations to Mr. Jones's invaluable writings on the Church of Christ. On controverted points he feared to alter statements or clothe ideas in his own language, lest cavilling readers should doubt his veracity. If more verbosity had been given, the work would have been more agreeable to some, but the writer feared weakening the evidence of his work, and of making a large book; he has, therefore, referred crowing the materials together, to make his compilation, a reference book in triumph, rather than its contents should be questioned from any accommodating aspect. In its character, it may be considered a rough rampart, planted round the visible camp of the saints, within which fortification they may feel safe, while at the same time, they are furnished with those means of repelling attacks, made with antiquated weapons.
These facts do not invite the critic's eye; its humble aspect we conceive to be far below his envenomed shaft: nor are they submitted to the rich and the learned; such persons have the means and opportunity of procuring those works from which these records were drawn, and of going more fully into historic details. We apprehend the stubborn facts detailed, will awaken those to anger, whose craft is supported by the error exposed. Their defence will be taken from the stores of an unholy alliance; but unscriptural and unsanctified weapons, with all the support of antiquated reproach, etc, etc, will best prove to the inquiring disciple, the absence of all precepts and examples for the rite, sought to be supported. We hope the following sheets are free from acrimony, and where censure is given, the palpable violation of truth and order merited severity; indeed, truth at times could not be detailed in its importance, if infamy were not attached to delinquency. However awful the characters of some early innovators were, we unhesitatingly assert that very many Pedobaptists since the Reformation have been, and still deservingly are, numbered among the excellent of the earth. We can and do respect them for their piety, but we cannot approve of their error; nor can they expect it, since many of their best men admit that pedobaptism had no place in the church in apostolic days, and some moderns are so tender on this point now, as to practise it in private. A refutation we do not fear; this would be a difficult task, since controverted facts are generally given in the words of the historian, and so far as the writer could, a Pedobaptist's testimony has had the preference. References could have been increased to a considerable extent, but the support of the statement by one respectable name was deemed sufficient.
Illness, and the claims of the ministry, have prevented an entire devotion to this object; and though truly conscious of his unfitness to do justice to the subject, yet he has been always happy in the employment. Whatever inadvertence or errors there might be, the writer's best efforts are here offered to the society of which he stands an unworthy member, and if he realizes their approbation, he shall consider it next to the smiles of his Master, and feel remunerated for fifteen years' labour; at the same time, his desire, prayer, and efforts, are for the promotion of the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and his hope is, that this heavenly principle will soon universally prevail: then the precepts of men, traditionary services, and compulsory religion shall be swept away from the church of God; truth then, in all its legitimate and unrestrained influence, shall have free course, unadorned by human fancy, unchecked by human laws, unaided by human device; then, reinstated in its native dignity, truth shall be found like the beams of the sun alighting and regulating the inhabitants of the world, dispelling darkness and ignorance, conferring on the benighted the blessings of a gospel day, exhibiting their moral condition, awakening new sensations, requiring the north to give up, the south to keep not back; bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; then shall we see eye to eye, Jerusalem shall be the joy of the whole earth, and our God shall bless us.
Yours to serve in the kingdom of Christ,
The Author.
Steventon, Jan. 1, 1838.
