Separate Baptists (original) (raw)

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18th-century Baptist movement in the United States

The Separate Baptists are a group of Baptists originating in the 18th-century United States, primarily in the South, that grew out of the Great Awakening. Inspired by passionate, revivalist preachers like George Whitefield, they emphasized personal connection with God and spiritually invigorating services and were often victims of religious intolerance.

The Great Awakening was a religious revival and revitalization of piety among the Christian churches. It covered English-speaking countries and swept through the American colonies between the 1730s and the 1770s. Three important preachers of the times were Gilbert Tennent (1703–65), Jonathan Edwards (1703–58), and George Whitefield (1714–70). The Separate Baptists are most directly connected to Whitefield's influence. The first identifiable congregation of Separate Baptists was formed in Boston, Massachusetts. Whitefield preached in Boston in 1740. The pastor of the Baptist church disapproved of the revival excitement, while several members approved of it and became discontented with the pastor's ministry. They withdrew from the First Baptist Church and formed Second Baptist Church in 1743.

The Great Awakening served to both invigorate and divide churches. Many denominations divided into Old Lights — holding a low view of the revivalism, and sometimes directly opposing it — and New Lights — who enthusiastically embraced it. Many New Lights felt that the old ways had allowed too many unconverted church members, and by the end of the 1740s some of the New Lights believed the established churches could not be reformed from within and withdrew from them. A favorite verse among them was II Corinthians 6:17 — "Come out from among them, and be ye separate." This led to them being called Separate.

A growing body of Separate Baptists began in New England. They were zealous in evangelism and held to heart-felt religion. The most prominent New England pastor and congregation was Isaac Backus (1724–1808) and the church at Middleborough, Massachusetts. Backus was raised a Congregationalist and became a New Light (or Separatist) Congregational pastor in 1748. After conversion to Baptist views on the doctrine of baptism, Backus and others formed a Baptist congregation in 1756. Backus was very active in the fight for religious liberty in America. The Separate Baptists of New England were never truly a separate group from the Regular Baptists. It would remain for the Separate Baptists in the South to develop along distinct lines.

In 1745 Shubal Stearns (1706–71), a member of the Congregational church in Tolland, Connecticut, heard evangelist George Whitefield. Stearns was converted and adopted the Awakening's view of revival and conversion. Stearns' church became involved in a controversy over the proper subjects of baptism in 1751. Soon Stearns rejected infant baptism and sought baptism at the hands of Wait Palmer, Baptist minister of Stonington, Connecticut. By March, Shubal Stearns was ordained into the ministry by Palmer and Joshua Morse, the pastor of New London, Connecticut. The next twenty years of Stearns' remarkable ministry is inextricably intertwined with the rise and expansion of the Separate Baptists.

In 1754, Stearns moved south to Opequon, Virginia. Here he joined Daniel Marshall and wife Martha (Stearns' sister), who were already active in a Baptist church there. On November 22, 1755, Stearns and his party moved further south to Sandy Creek, in Guilford County, North Carolina. This party consisted of eight men and their wives, mostly relatives of Stearns. Stearns pastored at Sandy Creek until his death. From there, Separate Baptists spread in the South. The church quickly grew from 16 members to 606. Church members moved to other areas and started other churches. The Sandy Creek Association was formed in 1758. Morgan Edwards, Baptist minister and historian contemporary with Stearns, recorded that, "in 17 years, [Sandy Creek] has spread its branches westward as far as the great river Mississippi; southward as far as Georgia; eastward to the sea and Chesopeck [sic] Bay; and northward to the waters of the Pottowmack [sic]; it, in 17 years, is become mother, grandmother, and great grandmother to 42 churches, from which sprang 125 ministers."[1]

Distinction between regular and separate Baptists

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For a time, Separate Baptists distinguished themselves from Regular Baptists. Although, historians and scholars have noted that their differences are minor. According to Edwards, "These are called Separates, not because they withdrew from the Regular-baptists but because they have hitherto declined any union with them. The faith and order of both are the same, except some trivial matters not sufficient to support a distinction, but less a disunion; for both avow the Century-Confession and the annexed discipline."[2] As Edward wrote, Separate Baptists were mostly in agreement with the Regulars and held similar beliefs. The main points of distinction between the two were their origin and style. Regular Baptist churches started from English immigrants and were primarily centered in Philadelphia, while Separate Baptists were a group of dissenters who left the established church in the South (Church of England) to start their own services. This dissent was invigorated after people were compelled by passionate, revivalist preachers such as George Whitefield, though not all Separate Baptist churches were the result of revivals.[3] The Separate Baptists were more focused on a personal relationship with God and spiritual experiences, and their churches went through a phase of rapid growth in the South and specifically Virginia.

Another distinction made between the Separate Baptists and Regular Baptists was the number of ordinances or rites observed by the churches. The Separate Baptists had nine rites which were: baptism, the Lord's supper, love feasts, laying on of hands, washing feet, anointing the sick, the right hand of fellowship, kiss of charity, and devoting children. Not every church practiced all nine of these, but most churches practiced more than the two ordinances generally held by the Regular Baptists — baptism and the Lord's supper.

With the exception of the Separate Baptists in Christ, the denominational name Separate Baptist disappeared in many areas of the country with the formal and informal agreements of union between the Regular Baptists and Separate Baptists, beginning in Virginia in 1787, in the Carolinas in 1789, and in Kentucky in 1797 & 1801. As recorded by Benedict, the conclusion of the terms of union in Virginia stated, "...we are united, and desire hereafter, that the names Regular and Separate be buried in oblivion; and that from henceforth, we shall be known by the name of the United Baptist Churches, in Virginia."

Descendants of the Separate Baptists include the Separate Baptists in Christ, Landmark Missionary Baptists, Primitive Baptists, Southern Baptists, United Baptists, and The General Association of Baptists.

Separate Baptists are particularly visible in Kentucky, where a member of the denomination, Vernie McGaha of Russell Springs, served in the state senate.

Religious Persecution

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Separate Baptist churches were victims of significant religious intolerance and persecution in the 18th century. Leaving the established church and conducting services that were more emotionally and spiritually driven earned them a poor reputation amongst the Anglican Church.[4] Morgan Edwards documented instances of persecution in various churches in great detail.[5] Although Regular Baptists also faced instances of religious persecution, the Separate Baptists were more commonly the recipients of persecution because of their different style of teaching and evangelizing. Some types of persecution that Separate Baptists faced include physical assaults and legal repercussions, including imprisonment.

One notable example of a Separate Baptist preacher who faced religious persecution is John Waller. John Waller was a Separate Baptist preacher and evangelist who established churches throughout the South in the late 18th century. Waller faced a powerful conversion into the Separate Baptist Church after spending his life as a professional gambler and being nicknamed "Swearing Jack."[6] During his 35 years of ministry, Waller faced assaults such as being scourged, pulled away from the pulpit, beaten, and put into prison.[7] Waller was highly regarded in Virginia and is remembered today for his efforts in the battle for religious liberty in Colonial America.

  1. ^ Morgan Edwards, Materials towards a history of the Baptists in the Province of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. Manuscript. 1772.
  2. ^ Morgan Edwards, Materials towards a history of the Baptists in the Province of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. Manuscript. 1772. From Duke University Library. 41.
  3. ^ Jewel T. Spangler, “Becoming Baptists: Conversion in Colonial and Early National Virginia.” The Journal of Southern History. Vol. 67, No. 2 (May, 2001), 251.
  4. ^ Wamble, Hugh G, “Virginia Baptists and Religious Liberty, 1765-1802,” The Journal of Baptist Studies 1. (2007).
  5. ^ Morgan Edwards, Materials towards a history of the Baptists in the Province of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia. Manuscript. 1772.
  6. ^ Gritz, Paul L. "John Waller: exemplar and maverick among Separate Baptists." Baptist History and Heritage, vol. 48, no. 1, spring 2013, pp. 37+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A331079276/AONE?u=anon~936228fd&sid=googleScholar&xid=79937675. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
  7. ^ Massey, Homer, "John Waller 1741-1802" (2006). LBTS Faculty Publications and Presentations. 104. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/lts\_fac\_pubs/104