Why I Am A Primitive Baptist

My reasons for writing the material contained in this little book are several fold.

My first reason is for the sake of my family. For several years my wife has wanted me to write a series on the fundamental principles of the Primitive Baptist Church to help our children in learning and knowing the truth. I am just now getting around to it.

Second, I am not only interested in my own children, but I am vitally concerned with the welfare of all our children. If I can write or say anything that will help them in studying the Bible, and in establishing them in the truth, then I am happy indeed

I know that many of us, and this is especially true with me, do not spend as much time with our children as we should. It seems that I am always busy at something else when I should be discussing important matters with them.

Third, we have many, many people who are well established in the truth, and know it when they hear it told, but they just are not able to frame words to tell others what they believe, or what the doctrine and tenets of our church are. If I can help them kinda say what they believe, then, we shall both be happy.

And fortunately, I am deeply interested in the “earnest inquirers” with whom you and I, and each of us come in contact almost daily. There are people who have the love of God in their hearts, and are looking for the truth, but are so bewildered by the many conflicting things they hear, they don’t know what they believe.

People like this, when the real truth of the Bible is unfolded to them in all its grandeur and beauty, it finds a lodging place in their hearts.

I have not tried to delve deep into theology (even if I could), but have tried to just outline the simple truths as I see them, and put them in simple words where even the children could understand them, if possible.

Also, I have refrained from throwing up a great array of Scriptural quotations; using only two or three basic Scriptures for each argument, to keep from getting too technical.

The things I have written, I sincerely believe, and hold them sacred.

To my children and to all Primitive Baptist children who may read this, may I give you this one word of advice: Don’t be ashamed of the sacred truths of our church. Don’t be argumentative or seek controversy, but do be firm in the truth. People may not respect your church, or the truths of the church, but they will respect you for being faithful and contending for the truth as you see it.

To you who are 6, 9, or 12 years of age, in just a few short years, the responsibility of the church will be on your shoulders, and the sooner you take an active part in the church, the better it will be for you, as well as the church.

To you parents, by all means bring your children up in the church; teach them the real values of the church so they will want to go.

“These are my thoughts today.”

A. E. RICHARDS

July 14, 1956.

Reprinted 1957

Reprinted 1964

Reprinted 1973

The Apostle Peter said in his first letter 3:15: "Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you, a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear, having a good conscience."

Many of us, if suddenly asked, "Why are you a Primitive Baptist?" would perhaps be at a loss as to how to give an intelligent answer.

How many of us could answer in such a way that others could see the real beauties of that hope?

The more I study on this matter the more I am convinced that I cannot frame words to describe that hope as it should be told.

There are many reasons why people ask questions, but I think any time a person asks sincerely, with a desire for the truth, that we should certainly give it the best we have.

Why am I a Primitive Baptist? Do I really know? Yes, I think I do.

As I look back over my family history, I can see many of my forebearers were strong Primitive Baptists -- in fact, leaders in the Primitive Baptist Cause, and many of them took an active part in the interest and defense of the Primitive Baptist Church, its doctrine and all of its tenets.

My grandfather, W. H. Richards, was a great leader in the church. Many years before his death, he told me he had baptized nearly 2000 people, helped to ordain about a hundred ministers and many deacons and was in the organization of quite a few churches.

He had declared the truth from almost every hamlet and village in Texas and in many other states. He was also at one time the editor of one of the church papers, the Glad Tidings. I think he was worthy of me following in his footsteps, if indeed such things should lead one to the church.

My father was also a minister of this cause -- preaching the gospel in many states, wherever he felt Providence directed him, and he was considered by many as one of the better defenders of the doctrine. He met some of the most able representatives of the opposition and publicly put the Primitive Baptist doctrine up beside theirs for all to compare. Also two of his brothers are able ministers of the same doctrine.

Maternally, I have equally as rich a heritage. My great grandfather Short was a Primitive Baptist who could be classed only as the "very elect." I have fond memory of him, and many of his writings from the church papers. Also, I have an old church history that bears his name as the original owner.

My first trip, when only a few days old, was to church at the church at Rule, which will soon be observing its golden anniversary. 1 can remember back when I was a child, sitting around the fire at night, falling asleep on a bench listening to my father and some visiting brethren discuss the fine points of doctrine. This was a regular and accepted practice in our home.

To bring the family ties on down a little closer, I married into a Primitive Baptist family; my wife’s father is a deacon in the Church; all 13 children are Primitive Baptists; most of the sons-in-law and daughters-in-law are members. Some of the sons and sons-in-law are ministers and deacons, as now, are some of the grand sons.

That is quite a Primitive Baptist background. If a person wants to be one to "follow the tide" and to follow in ancestral footsteps, then I have good cause for being a Primitive Baptist.

And some times people will tell us, that the reason we hold to this faith is that we are just following father and mother.

Are these the real reasons? If they are, I don’t have very much to base my hope on. Because father might have been a great man, that is no merit for us. I read that cursed is man that trusteth in man and makes flesh his arm. Now if I were trusting my hope in man and letting some one else make my decisions, I don’t know where I could go for a better example and better instruction, but if I really know myself, these are not the reasons of my hope, nor the real reason why I am a Primitive Baptist.

I will tell you this, they are one of the reasons why I am happy to be a Primitive Baptist and they further confirm my conviction in the thought that truly ours is the true Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why am I a Primitive Baptist? Can I give an intelligent answer to this question?

Now, while I am asking myself this question, will you who are reading this ask yourself the same question? Why are you what you are? Why are you, denominationally, and religiously what you are? By doing this maybe we can both come to a logical conclusion.

Did I become a Primitive Baptist because mother and dad were such? Was it in quest of popularity or to make a great name for myself? Was it because this church is more popular than the others? Was it because it has the nicest church buildings, or the largest membership rolls?

No. This is not the answer to my question. Is it the answer to yours?

The Primitive Baptist Church is not popular, as popularity goes. It has no standing in society; and you will never make a great name among men for your activities in this church.

So, when you see people walking down the aisle and taking the preacher by the hand and making the request, "I want to be a member of the Primitive Baptist Church," you may be sure that person has, other motives than the ones mentioned above. But what are they?

In the 42nd verse of the 2nd chapter of Acts we read of the disciples: "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

I know of no other group that contends for the apostolic doctrine as do the Primitive Baptists, and they do it steadfastly. I know of no other group of people or ecclesiastical body that has such great fellowship as they. Nor do I know of any group of people that prayer means so much to them as do the people we call Primitive Baptists.

Then why am I a Primitive Baptist? Let me tell you plainly and simply in words that are easy to understand: Because I want to be. It supplies me with those things that I want and expect from the church. It affords me the type of place and environment that I desire to use to worship my Lord and God, or such is my hope and my trust.

Because I want to -- this may seem to you like not much of a reason, but to me it is the greatest reason there is. If we understand the true principles of cause and effect, if we understand the true principles that Christ taught -- make the tree good and the fruit will be good -- then we can understand that the person who really wants to he a Primitive Baptist has a desire prompted by the spiritual values that he or she sees in the church.

Some churches attract, people into their ranks by many methods -- they have a nice place in society, they are popular in the community, and some may offer you a chance "to help Christ save sinners." Then there might be some who just plain score people into their churches.

But none of these means are available in the Primitive Baptist Church. It is not a popular group. In fact, people will sometimes make fun of you and call you a Hardshell. The Primitive Baptists don’t have many nice buildings, and usually they don’t have the largest membership in the community either.

When our daughter was about 6 years old, she came to her mother crying. She wanted to join the church. When her mother pressed her for a reason, the only one she had was because she wanted to. The next day, she walked down the isle and gave her grandfather her hand. When he asked her why she wanted to join the church she told him because she loved them. And as he picked her up in his arms and carried her into the water and baptized her, then picked her up and carried her back out of the water and handed her to her waiting mother who stood nearby in tears, he had a happy expression on his face he had not had before.

The Primitive Baptist Church is a very peculiar group of people. Those who are not acquainted with them don’t know quite how to accept them. They do not have the rigid, minutely planned and rehearsed form of worship. There are not any of the professional touches you see in some of the churches you enter. There is no organized choir, and more than likely the minister is not a college man. He does not speak from a studied, carefully prepared script. He enters the pulpit with nothing in hand except the Bible. He is usually armed with a very good knowledge of the Bible, having probably spent many hours, days and years of tedious study and a trust in the Lord to direct his mind in a fruitful channel, and a message for the people. And the people are not usually disappointed.

This all may seem like a lot of rambling, but I am getting down to this one point -- the one great, strong and abiding principle of the Primitive Baptist Church is a strong faith in God and heartfelt religion.

For the person who has strong faith in God, and one who really and truly believes in heartfelt religion, there is no organization in the world or this side of heaven like the Primitive Baptist Church. This I believe with all my heart.

A few years ago, a girl of our acquaintance married a boy of another denomination who knew absolutely nothing about the Primitive Baptists. He began going to church with her and gradually became interested and before long he became a member. Later he told some of his folks, "I can’t see why anyone wouldn’t love it that understand it."

The wonderful spirit of love and fellowship I find in the Primitive Baptist Church is something that is not seen anywhere else. As the services break up, you do not see the usual scramble to get out and get gone; but the people want to stand around and visit, have fellowship one with another, and just rub shoulders together. They have a feeling toward each other that no one else feels. Other people just cannot understand this strong tie that exists between them. When two men take each other by the hand and call each other Brother, something passes between them that cannot be felt in many of the churches of the day.

If I were out today away from home and needed help; if I found myself in Modesto, California; Hopewell, New Jersey; Syracuse, Kansas; or Hogansville, Georgia, I could go into a Primitive Baptist home, take them by the hand and call them Brother and Sister, and would immediately receive the best hospitality that that home could afford. This is a truth that has been proven so many times, and I would stake my life on it.

One of the deacons of our church lives in a nearby community, and his community and our community were having a basketball game there. My son and his son are both members of the respective teams, and he and I were watching these games a few nights ago. In the recess between the boys' and girls' games we went into the school dining room adjoining the gymnasium and were drinking coffee together, and we got into a discussion of a Bible subject in which we were interested. Suddenly, he grinned a little, looked around at the seething crowd around us, who were laughing and joking, and then said to me: "We are probably the only people here tonight who are talking about the Bible."

Primitive Baptists are not only people of sincerity, but they are people of honesty and integrity. If they tell you a thing, you can count on it being that way. Any person who is a Primitive Baptist, I would loan him anything I had and not even ask him to sign for it. This is a matter of principle. A person who is not just that honest does not deserve to wear the name Primitive Baptist.

Other people will make fun of you, and persecute you in a church way, but you will find, if you look around, that the person who wears the name of Primitive Baptist usually wears the name of a good person in the community; maybe not for being a person of wealth and position, but honored for integrity and honesty, and a good name for things in the community that are morally sound and decent.

If it is any other way, it is not like it should be.

These are some of the sentimental feelings I have toward the Primitive Baptists. Later, I want to go into other reasons, deep and abiding, in the doctrine and practices of the Primitive Baptists.

Why do I love them? Simply because they are the greatest people on earth and closest to heaven.

If I really know what I believe, above everything else in the way of theology, christianity and religion, I believe in God -- a God that is all wise and all-powerful, One that is completely superlative in all His attributes. This, to me, is a fundamental, abiding principle. And everything else, in the way of religion should harmonize with this. This is the one test that every principle must pass: does it reconcile itself with an omniscient and omnipresent God?

I find the Primitive Baptists are the ones who really and truly believe this same thing, and harmonize all the principles and doctrines to this one major theme. This, among other things, is why I am a Primitive Baptist.

All other people, regardless of the name of their denomination, claim, and I am sure in heart they do believe in this kind of God, yet when it is all boiled down to its essence, their general practices and their tenets of doctrines many times deny the power of God and the divine attributes of God.

We read in Isaiah 59:1 that "the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, neither his ear heavy that it cannot hear." In Psalms 89:11-13, we read: "The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine, as for the world and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded them. The north and the south thou has created them. ... Thou hast a mighty arm; strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand."

Also, the inspired writer said in Psalms 89:26: "Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation."

In Daniel 4:35, we read, "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will, in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, `What doest thou?'"

In Hebrews 4:15, we read: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities."

In Romans 8:34, we read, "Who is he that condemneth? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?"

And in Romans 8:35-39, we read: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ... I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, not things to come, nor height, nor depth; nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

We could quote column after column of such citations declaring the sovereignty of God, hut this should suffice. You can look the world over, check the thousands of people meeting and worshiping the name of the Lord, and I know you will find that none do so with reverence as do the Primitive Baptists.

There are those who claim to believe in a sovereign God with an arm that can save, but will use such terms as: "Give God a chance." or "God has done all He can do until you act." Do such statements declare a sovereign God, that we see described in the Bible?

Do you believe in an all powerful God? Do you believe in a God that knows all things? Do you believe in a God that always does His will?

Do you want to be associated with a group of people who believe these same things? Do you want to worship in a church that requires all its principles, all its doctrines and all its practices to always harmonize with this line of reasoning?

If your answer to these questions is yes, then you are a Primitive Baptist at heart. You believe like Primitive Baptists, and I think you will find that the Primitive Baptist Church of Christ is the only organization on earth that fits this pattern. This is a broad statement, but it is true. If you know of any other organization or group of people that always recognizes the sovereignty of God in all its actions and tenets, then I would like to know about it. I know no other such group.

Primitive Baptists read in the Bible that God can and will save. We take it and believe it, period. We don’t add any if, or ands. We don’t contradict the Scriptures by saying that we believe in a sovereign God, and then advocate in our daily worship that His powers of salvation are limited. I like to think of the Church as a place to worship God, a place to ascribe honor and praise and glory unto God. I want to be a member of a church that worships a strong and mighty God, and recognizes the weakness of mankind.

That is what I like about the Primitive Baptist Church. There, God is on a pedestal, and man is recognized as having no good, no power, and worthy of no honor, except what God has given

If you want to worship in the church set up by Jesus Christ Himself, and one who recognizes Him as their Head and Lawgiver, their power and their strength; a church that is not trying to help God, but praying God to help them, then you want to be a Primitive Baptist.

 CHAPTER FOUR

All of us who claim to be Christians and who want to be a part of any church, certainly want to be an integral part of ‘Christ’s Church." To have a part in some man-made church, or some religious institution that looks to some mortal man, would be very little enticement to me. How about you?

Then, if we want to be connected with Christ’s Church, it would doubtless help us to know as much about that Church as possible -- its origin, how it had its beginning, and such things. If we knew about this, we could make a more intelligent decision as to what church we want to be a part of.

About these things we are not left to guess, for the Bible gives us a complete record; all we need do is turn and read about them. I only wish I knew more about this book.

The gospel church of Christ did not exist in the early dispensations of time, but we find all the ancient Israelites anxiously looking forward to it. It was their constant hope, and many were enabled by the power of God to look into the future and see it. Such men have been termed aprophets.

All the prophets were pointing forward to the new era, to the coming of Christ the Messiah, and the gospel age.

In the Old Testament, we have many, many types of the gospel age, that have great meaning, when we look at them at the right angle.

We have King Solomon’s Temple, perhaps the most expensive building ever erected on the earth. It is certainly a. type of the church -- with its specially prepared material; all the building laid with pure gold, nothing but the finest; the Temple being built in the name of the Lord; the mercy seat occupying a very prominent place in the temple. All of these point to some precious value we may expect to find in the gospel church.

Also we find where some people once attempted to erect a huge building, not in the name of the Lord -- the tower of Babel. They said: "Let us make a name for ourselves." And they wanted to run the building right into heaven.

Instead of specially prepared material, selected stones, etc. they used brick (man-made stone) and they put them together with slime -- not much of a comparison to King Solomon’s Temple.

God was displeased with this plan, so He confused the language of the people, and their great dreams of a building of their own making that would reach heaven soon came to naught, and the great idea of making a name for themselves did not materialize.

Can you see in this a type of the institutions of the world, trying to use their so-called churches as a medium by which to climb into heaven? Can you see the brick they use (souls they claim to save) and the slime they use for mortar (the righteousness of men). Man’s righteousness, according to Isaiah 64:6 "are as filthy rags." And can you see the confusion of tongues? Some say work this way, others say work that way, but like the builders of the tower of Babel they all say work your way up to heaven.

We see, in some respects a type of the church in Noah’s ark, as those who listened to the warning and sought the protection of the ark during those days were saved from the ravages of the flood. Even those today who listen to the gospel and seek the shelter of the church are saved from many of the evils that could engulf them.

As the children of Israel in the wilderness were fed manna from heaven literally, so we see a spiritual type of this. God’s people in the church being fed with the gospel coming down with inspiration from heaven and feeding them with spiritual food.

What did the prophets say about the Church? Daniel 2:44 said, "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever." The foregoing prophecy proves that God has a kingdom in this world and that He Himself set it up and that no people or force on earth will ever be able to destroy, tear down, bring to an end, or for that matter to inherit it.

We know that God has but one institution in the world, so then we may be sure that the Kingdom of Heaven; the Kingdom of God and the Church of God are one and the same; otherwise God has more than one body. This can not be true. We know that Daniel did not mean that God would set it up at the end of time because he said it would stand forever reckoning with all timely opposition and proclaiming that it would exist in time. Daniel placed it in the future from his day, but placed it in time.

Now, let’s confer with another prophet. Micah 4:1: "But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains and it shall be exalted above the hills, and people shall flow unto it."

Isaiah used almost these same words in 2:2.

Mountains and hills primarily mean high places, and that is just what is meant in thin place and not literal mountains. It does mean that the church is to be the very highest institution in the world. All fraternal orders, all institutions of men, or hills, are far below the Church or the mountain of the house of the Lord. Micah is telling us that none of the hills reach the height of the Lord’s house. It supercedes them all.

Every type and shadow of the ceremonial law directed the worshipers to the Coming Day. The people were seeking a city that had foundations whose builder and maker was God. The true worshipers were ever looking for the coming of the Lord.

In Malachi 3:1, the final prophet of the Old Testament spoke to his people as the mouth of the Lord in this manner: "Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his temple."

Paul said that the Church is the Temple of the Lord and Isaiah said the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains and that all nations shall flow unto it.

What about this messenger we have mentioned? Matthew 3:1-3 quoted from Isaiah in this manner: "In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying 'Repent ye: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.' For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias saying, 'the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.'"

Let’s have more about this messenger. He was to go before the face of the Lord when He should come to His temple. If we can see that John did this, then we can be able to determine when the church was set up.

When those good people were there at Jordan listening to John -- that ancient Primitive Baptist -- preach, Jesus suddenly appeared, just like the prophets had predicted that He would do. Here the Lord suddenly came to His temple. John the Baptist felt unworthy but was persuaded of the Lord to do so (Matthew 3:14-15).

When John baptized Jesus in the waters of Jordan, here the marriage ceremony took place; then and there the Church was set up. He set the apostles in it first, by calling them to him and ordaining them. How could he have set them in something that did not exist?

In Luke 16:16, we read: "The law and the prophets were until John, since that time the Kingdom of God is preached and every man presseth into it." Notice he didn’t say since the day of Pentecost.

In certain cases people were told under certain conditions, and about certain things to "tell it to the church" (Matthew 18:17). How could they have done this if there had been no Church?

So, we can see that the real Church, the true Church of Jesus Christ, had its origin during the life of Christ here on earth. Any organization that has its origin this side of Christ’s personal ministry is too late and too young to be the true Church of Christ.

We know that Christ did set up His Church. We have all confidence and all faith that it is still standing and that it will continue to stand; it will never be destroyed. So then, what we would all like to do is to determine to our own satisfaction, where the true Church of Jesus Christ is today, and how it may be identified.