Old Regular Baptists
The Old Regular Baptist religion is one of the oldest religions in Appalachia. It is a small declining branch of the Christian faith.
History
Many Old Regular Baptists and Eastern Kentucky Regular Primitive Baptist can be traced back to the New Salem Association of United Baptists organized in 1825 and her mother the Burning Springs Association of now Regular Primitive Baptist which originated in eastern Kentucky in 1813 from the North District Association. The New Salem Association's name was changed to Regular United in 1854, to Regular Primitive in 1870, to Regular Baptist in 1871 and then in 1892 to Old Regular names of other bodies that became Old Regular Baptist or whose names were synonymous with Old Regular Baptist are names like Regular Predestinarian Baptist, Particular Baptist, Old School Baptist, United Baptist, Regular Primitive Baptist,Regular Baptist,these terms held the same general meaning and have been used interchangeably by many of the Associations mentioned.The minutes of New Salem Association in 1892 indicate that they feared the extremism of an absolute Predestination doctrine which taught that God is the direct author of sin or that he influences men thereto.There are
some Old Regular Baptist associations and churches, that do not trace their lineage through the New Salem.The Burning Springs 1813, Red Bird 1823, Mountain Association 1856, Red River 1876 were daughters of the North District. The Mud River Association 1888, Twin Creek Association, Spencer Association, and others have originated from different clusters of churches and associations. In Virginia and elsewhere some of those churches trace back through the Sandy Creek Association Churches, the Washington, Three Forks of Powell Valley and other Churches and their original members, came directly with letters from the Philadelphia and Ketocton associations along with the Yadkin, Holston, Kehukee, Roaring River. The Twin Creek Association formed from a split in the Licking River Particular Baptist Association in 1850. Twin Creek Association was one, among of the first Associations in Kentucky to title itself "Old Regular Baptist" it did so in 1850. The Mud River Association originated from a split in the Pocatalico Particular Baptist Association in 1888. The Sandlick Regular Primitive Association and the Mates Creek Regular Primitive Baptist are both daughters of the New Salem Old Regular Baptist Association. These Associations and the Burning Springs all used the name Regular and Old Regular along with Primitive interchangeably.The word old was added to Regular Baptist soon after many Regular Baptists had joined and or began to correspond with mission boards. This was done to distinguish the Old Regular Baptists from the New School Baptists that had emerged throughout the United States.The terms Old School, Old Regular and Old Order and Primitive came into usage during the same time period and were being added to the Baptist name to show they were of the old form of worship and had rejected what they considered modern innovations.
Old Regular Baptists have had several divisions through the years. In the late 19th century to early 20th century, they had major splits over Absolute Predestination of all things, Actual Eternal Vital Union and Eternal Creation theory; differences over the Atonement and Election doctrines also led to divisions. Three of New Salem's daughters, the Union, Mates Creek, and Sandlick, divided, the New Salem also dropped correspondence with the Burning Springs Association, her mother, because she had members that belonged to secret orders. In the 1960s, a debate started over when eternal life began, was regeneration before belief and repentance or after faith and repentance. There are Old Regular Baptists that hold the same views as other Primitive Baptists bodies on regeneration that one is regenerated instantaneous on hearing the Voice of the Son of God They hold salvation first and that the elect are called by a holy calling This effectual call is referenced as the "Light of Christ" doctrinealso known as the "Light is Life" doctrine. This view teaches that faith and repentance are the effects of regeneration and not the cause of regeneration. They hold that the individual is quickened by the Spirit and has eternal or everlasting life prior to belief and repentance. Old Regular Baptist holding those views are often called the "Hardshell Side".Those Old Regular Baptist that hold that" Light leads to Life" doctrine and that faith and repentance are prior to life and regeneration they are called the "Softshell Side".
Historians consider the Old Regular Baptists a branch of the Primitive Baptists that held to a more historical style of early Baptist worship and stricter gospel order. The Old Regular Baptist in Appalachia were more tolerant in doctrine, originally allowing for different views on the atonement. While the doctrine of some traditional Old Regular Baptists would be in harmony with the London or Philadelphia Confessions of Faith advocating Limited or Particular Atonement, others among the Old Regulars hold to a more modified Calvinism and to Andrew Fuller's view of the atonement, Universal/Limited and yet there are some ministers and members that hold to a form of General Atonement. The original compromise on the Atonement made by the Regular and Separate Baptist was never kept, it then led to doctrinal splits, on the Atonement issue, these divisions were widespread throughout Appalachia. Statements were made by some of the Mountain Associations, that Christ made a full atonement for all those that have believed and those that will believe and that these believers were the elect chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. This statement seemed to satisfy the different factions for a while.the Red Bird and Red River and Spencer Associations of Old Regular Baptist held to Special or Limited Atonement. This was the doctrine of the majority side of Mates Creek and Sandlick Associations and part of the Union Association. The New Salem corresponded with the limited atonement side of the Union after the split and then latter switched sides, and took correspondence with the side holding more to a Fullerite View. The New Salem at one time contained ministers holding three different views on the atonement and was able to navigate fairly peaceful. The " Light of Christ" split that took place in the Union Association of Old Regular Baptist 1961-1962 this was the second time the Union Association had a large division over doctrine, the fallout of this division soon spread to other associations being brought on by requests sent to them from the Union Association. This split resulted in the isolation of the Mud River Association.The Elders in the Mud River Association were more sympathetic to the doctrine of the six churches that left the Union Association. The Union Association's act of expulsion of the Bold Camp Church was considered a violation of the Union's Constitution by most Elders versed in discipline. There were seven churches in all that left the Union Association they formed of the Bethel Association of Old Regular Baptist. The New Salem Association leadership, chose not to divide over this issue . Today there is still debates among the Old Regular Baptists Churches over when one receives faith, men and women's dress, the receiving of divorced members, and the doctrinal differences over hope and knowledge. Some Old Regular Baptist do hold to some points of Arminianism vs others who are more Calvinistic. There are several factions of Old Regular Baptist at present, including the "Old" Regular Primitive Baptist who include the Mother Association and Daughter Associations of the New Salem . There remains Churches and Associations that remain in direct doctrinal sympathy with the Old Line Primitive Baptist. There are factions of Old Regular Baptist that are in doctrinal sympathy with the "Old" United Baptist. These "Old" United Baptist share the same heritage as the Old Regular and Primitive Baptist Churches and are Old School in practice .
In the 1990s, a debate arose in the Northern New Salem over one of its member churches' use of fermented wine in communion vs. grape juice. A query was sent into the association by a sister church against the church that used wine. All evidence shows that the church that sent the query had not taken the proper steps according to Old Regular Baptist decorum. The Association involved itself, failing to send the query back to the church that sent it, and violated its own orders. This led to two member churches breaking fellowship with the Northern New Salem. The two member churches, and one formed later, lettered to the Original Mountain Liberty Association and was found to be orthodox and orderly and were dismissed to form the Sovereign Grace Association in 1997. The Sovereign Grace Association's doctrine would be in total harmony with the Old Line Primitive Baptists of today or close to the Original Philadelphia Association of the past.
Faith and practice
The theology of the group is "election by grace", as stated in the scripture: "By Grace are ye saved through faith." While all Old Regulars preach "election by grace", a difference of opinion exists among them concerning election and predestination. Today, depending on which faction you hear preach, their doctrine ranges from absolute predestination to man being a free moral agent. The majority of Old Regular Baptists hold to a doctrine that is between these extremes, with absolutism the smallest minority. The Old Regular Baptist are united in their eschatology, all factions hold that the binding of Satan took place during his earthly ministry and that the thousand years is to be taken symbolically as it represents a period of time. That there will be a Last Day and General Judgement . Old Regular Baptist all believe in experimental grace, baptism by immersion, a called and regularly ordained ministry. They are United in believing that Christ is the Eternal Son of God, that he is now and has been and always will be Christ.Churches form local associations by which they fellowship with one another. This fellowship is formally maintained by the election of correspondents to attend the meetings of the other associations. Preachers are God-called, unpaid, and preach improvisational sermons. Baptism, the Lord's supper and feet washing are held to be ordinances. Shouting is a frequent occurrence at an Old Regular meeting, particularly among the female membership. Conversion experiences may be a lengthy process, beginning with an awakening to sin, through a period of conviction and travail of the soul, to repentance and belief.