p. 163 | Correction of Errors in Baptist Minutes

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · Jan 23, 1855

Correction of Errors in Baptist Minutes

By Edmund Perry; John Barden

From Bro. Barden & Perry.

DEAR BRO. WHITE:—Our love for truth and the cause of truth, is the only apology we have to make for taking this method to correct some errors published in the minutes of the twenty-ninth annual meeting of the Penobscot Baptist Association, held Sept. 5th, 6th, and 7th, 1854. On page 17th in their report of the state of the Carmel church, we find this statement: "Some of the prominent members of this church, including even its officers, were deluded by a prevalent fanaticism, and neglected their duties to the church. Though very feeble, and perilling even its visibility, the church did not hesitate after ineffectual efforts for their reclamation, to exclude from its fellowship those in whose wisdom and piety it had long confided and who constituted a large proportion of its strength."

Now mark this: some of its prominent members, including even its officers, (deacons Perry and Barden,) like Paul before Agrippa, not having the privilege before, now take the liberty to answer to this charge of delusion and fanaticism for ourselves.

1st. We frankly confess that after the way that some call heresy, so worship we the God of our fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets. 2d. The Captain of our salvation has said, [Matt. xxiv, 33.] "So likewise ye when ye see all these things, know that it is near even at the doors;" and blessed be his holy name for ever; this knowledge no man taketh from us. 3d. We have responded, Amen, with warm hearts to the truth Paul preached to Titus, Chap. ii, 11-13, and are now looking for the blessed hope and by the grace of God mean to look a little while longer until he actually will appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

For believing and talking and trying to live these sublime truths, we have been published to the world as deluded fanatics. We leave the reader to judge how much injury individuals of the faith above mentioned would do the church of God. 1 John iii, 3. "And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure." Again, The church after "ineffectual efforts for their reclamation did not hesitate to exclude," &c. Now as to the truth of this assertion we leave the maker of it to answer for it to a higher tribunal than that of man. But as for any knowledge of the time when, and place where, Bible efforts were made to reclaim us, we have none. Perhaps this accounts for the efforts being ineffectual.

It is true however, that we were excluded, but how? It was said to us at a certain time that there was to be a conference in a remote part of the town, but nothing was said about any important business to be done at the conference. As it was very inconvenient for us to attend, we did not, which gave them a chance to cut us off at a church meeting held in the morning before the conference without any molestation, or even giving us a letter of excommunication or a chance to answer for ourselves. Then to see them turn about and boast of the Lord's blessing them for faithfully and fearlessly doing their duty is enough to make the heart sick, when we take into consideration the fact that the directions given by the great Head of the church [Matt. xviii, 15-17] were entirely unheeded, as were also the rules laid down by the inspired apostles. But we would not mourn so much in view of the unfair treatment we have received in this matter, as we would in view of the fact, that the professed church of Christ has so far departed from the faith, as to exclude members without giving them as good a chance to defend themselves as the civil law, which provides for all men a fair and impartial trial.

We make not these fair statements of facts to injure any man or body of men, but we make them because we believe the cause of truth demands it, and inasmuch as we believe that in this matter we suffer as christians, we will neither murmur nor complain, but hope by the grace of God to commit the keeping of our souls to him in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator, until our soon coming King shall return and bid all our sorrows cease.

Yours in hope of eternal life. EDMUND PERRY. JOHN BARDEN. Carmel, Me., Dec. 28th, 1854.