Origin of Baptist
Joseph Lalrinawma
Origin of the Baptist
Baptists
were believed to come into existence in England in the early seventeenth
century. They apparently emerged out of the Puritan-Separatist movement in the
Church of England. Some of these earnest people read the Bible in their own
language, believed it, and sought to live by it. They formed separate
congregations which accepted only believers into their membership, and they
baptized converts upon their profession of faith. Their opponents nicknamed
them “Baptists,” and the name stuck.[1]
Two
major groups come into existence in England in the early 1600s with a little
difference. The first group known as the General Baptists was founded by John
Smyth and Thomas Helwys. They believed in general atonement and that Christ’s
death has general application for all and those who believe could be saved. The
other groups are the ‘Particular Baptists’ led by Henry Jessey, William Kiffin
and John Spilsbury who followed Calvinistic beliefs and holds that Christ’s
death was only for some particular ones. They rejected the charge that they
were “Anabaptist” (re-baptizers), because they regarded infant baptism as no
baptism at all, and referred to themselves as “baptized believers in Christ”.
Before the end of the 16th century, they were called “Baptists”.[2]
Baptist Beginning in Europe
By
the sixteenth century, multitudes of English Christians were demanding reform
in their church. They sensed that the church had become corrupt and selfish,
and that it had largely left the simple message of the Bible. Several factors
contributed to this clamor for reform: the teachings of such great reformers as
Martin Luther in Germany and John Calvin in Geneva; the new translations of the
English Bible which allowed the common people once again to read the Word of
God; and social and political changes which led people to want more
participation in their church.
One militant group within the Church of England
genuinely desired to recover biblical teachings and practices. Deeply
influenced by the reforms of John Calvin, they became known as “Puritans,”
perhaps because they insisted upon more purity of doctrine and practice in the
church. [3]
For
the same cause, Henry Burrows became a martyr in AD 1593 and his group migrated
to Campden, Holland under the leadership of Francis Johnson. Under the
influence of Dutch Anabaptists, the first English Anabaptist congregation was
formed. They advocated that Children should wait until a minister of the gospel
is available. This is believed to be the step forward towards “Believers’
Baptism”. Later, the first Baptist Church emerged in AD 1601 from the
Gainsborough congregation led by John Smyth. Only those who held to Believers’
Baptism, the authority of scriptures and freedom of religious conviction are
allowed in this congregation.[4]
The
first Baptist Church met at Spitafield outside of London Walls. Baptists first
emerged and made the greatest progress in the central part of Europe. A few
churches originated elsewhere at an earlier date, but Germany itself provided
the major center of Baptist expansion. Among people of that dispersion, the
Baptist message found its earliest acceptance. In Germany the first Baptist
church was established in 1834 at Hamburg by J.G. Oncken after baptizing 6
members. After that another church was planted by G.W. Lehmann in Berlin.
Breslau, Stettin, Bremen, Marburg and Biterfield respectively within a short
period of time.[5]
In
Denmark the Baptist church was established on 1839 by Oncken and Kobner. In
Denmark Protestant is the government church and the newly established church
Baptist was against them and Pedersen who was the leader was sent off. In 1849
the government made and ordinance by putting the status ‘Tolerated church’, they did not allowed to conduct marriage
ceremony and did not permitted to construct church building and preserve church
history. After long years pass in 1952 government recognized the church and the
church also increasing year by year.[6]
France:
In 1819 Swiss Evangelist Henry Pyt organized a function and preached the gospel
among the bible students and other 140 people. In 1820 they were baptized by Pyt and established the church in Nomain, it
was the first church established in France. At the same time in Roman
Catholic is holding big the newly established was no longer. But some
evangelists llike Howard Malcolm, CasmiriRostanetc preaching the gospel and
they established the church again in Douai on 1853 and they attained freedom on
1871.
Baptist Beginnings in America
Most
Baptists in early America stemmed from a British background. While the earliest
churches were indigenous in time the English connection became clearer. The
founder of Baptist church in America was Roger Williams(1603-1684). Baptist in
America adopted the denominational structures common among their English
brethren, reproduced English confessions and catechisms, and often sent to
England for ministers. One cannot regard Baptists in America as merely an
extension of those in England, but neither can one minimize the connections
between them. [7]
However,
he eventually became estranged from authorities in the Massachusetts Bay Colony
over the failure of church and civil functions to be independent of one
another. About 1638 he established the first Baptist church in America in
the then-uncolonized Rhode Island (Providence), which became the first
government in history founded on the premise of absolute religious
freedom. At the same time John Clarke, also originally from England and
also dissatisfied with religious practice in Massachusetts, founded a Baptist
church in Newport, R.I. Williams and Clarke secured a charter
guaranteeing civil and religious freedom in Rhode Island from King Charles II
in 1663.[8]
By
the 1690, congregations existed in South Carolina and Pensylvannia. Aided by
the enthusiasm flowing from the first Great Awakening, the revival that swept
the colonies in the mid-eighteenth century, Baptist soon became more numerous.
Philidelphia Association was formed in 1707, the Charleston in 1751, and others
in New England, the Middle Colonies, and the South. In 1781, the first church
west of the Appalachian Mountains was organized in Kentucky. Eighteen century
Baptists were diverse; the main groups were the Regular Baptists, the General
or Free Will Baptist, the revivalist Separate Baptists, and the Seventh Day
Baptist.[9]
The origin of Baptist in India
The
first Baptist work in India was started in 1793 by William Carey and friends of
the Baptist Mission Society, when they came to Kolkata, India. This was
followed by many other Baptist missionaries from North America and Europe and
even from Australia and New Zealand. Today most states in India have Baptist
believers and churches.[10] The
society’s first missionaries, Carey and John Thomas, a doctor, went to Calcutta
(Kolkata) in
1793. The following year, Carey removed himself from the society’s financial
support when he became superintendent at an indigo plant
in Mudnabati, Bengal. There he also preached, taught, and began his first Bible
translation. Compelled to leave British Indian territory, he and his family
moved to the Danish colony of Frederiksnagar, near Calcutta, in 1800. There he
and Joshua Marshman and William Ward, collectively known as the “Serampore trio,”
founded the mission described by the English philanthropist William
Wilberforce as “one of the chief glories” of
the British nation.
On
his letter on 30th December, 1795 he mentioned that the church was
formed by four members, Mr Thomas, Mr. Long, Mr. Powell and William Carey. He
did not mention clearly the date of established of church, and most of the
members were European.[11]
The Origin of Baptist in N.E India
1.
Plain
Assam
In
1835, British Commissioner, Francis Jenkins invited the American Baptist Union
to come to North East India to undertake a mission work among the Khamti and
Singpho tribes.The American Baptist Mission sent the first missionaries, Mr and
Mrs Nathan Brown and Mr and Mrs Oliver Cutter, to NEI but not for the Khamti
and Shingpo but for reaching China.
They began
to work among the Assamese and by the end of 1837, Mr Brown had mastered
Assamese language and in 1838 he translated the Gospel of Matthew. As they began
to know that they could not have both the Shan Mission and Brahmaputra Valley
Mission, in 1841 they turned their whole attention toward Brahmaputra Valley
Mission. The first Assamese convert took place in 1841 by the name Nidhiram. In
1845, the first church was organized in the missionary meeting at Sibsagar.
[12]
2.
Among
the Karbis
The American Baptist began their work among the
Karbi tribe in the late 1850’s which
was not very successful due to the influence of
Hinduism. But they continued their mission and The Karbi Anglong Baptist was
formed in 1980.[13]
3.
Baptist
in Garo Hills
In
the 1860s the American Baptists also began their work among the Garos. A School
was started by a Political Officer among the Garos at Goalpara in 1847. Though
it does not last long, they at least could have the first converts namely Omed
and Ramkhe of Watrepara Village who were baptized on 1863. On 15th
April, 1867Omed was ordained as the first NEI Minister and Rajasimla Christians
were organized as a church. Within a year the number of believers increased to
150. The American Baptist Mission started a center at Goalpara and Tura in 1877
which became the largest ABM station in Assam. [14]
4.
Baptist
in the Naga Hills
The
Baptists Missionary of Assam came into contact with the Nagas living in Namsang
Village and requested the Home Board in America for a Missionary to work among
the Nagas. In reply to the request, 22nd July, 1839 Mr. & Mrs. Cyrus Barker were appointed as the
missionaries to the Nagas. They reached Jaipur on 14th May, 1840.
Before their arrival Mr Bronson had made few visits and began to work with his
wife and his sister Rhoda Bronson at Namsang Village in 1840.
The
interest of Baptist Mission among the Nagas re-started under Edward Winter
Clark, his wife Mary Mead Clark and Godhula in 1871 onwards and they baptized 9
Nagas by Clark at Sibsagar. Thus the first Church in Nagaland came into being
in December 1872. In 1878 Rev C. D. King was appointed to work in the Naga
Hills and established a mission station at Kohima and founded the Kohima
Baptist Church in Angami area. Gradually with the contribution of W.E. Witter
and family, the Mission work was expanded to a third center in Nagaland for the
work among the LothaNagas at Wokha in 1885. Historically speaking, the Nagaland
Baptist Church Council was organized in 1935 at Kohima as the Naga Hills
Baptist Church Advisory Board and it was renamed as the Naga Hills Baptist
Church Council in 1937.
[15]
5.
Baptist
in Manipur
In 1891,
William Pettigrew came to Cachar, Assam and developed an interest to the
Manipuris he met there but could not do so until he was given permission to
open school at Imphal. He could mastered Manipuiri within three years and could
write books in it. He could have the permission mainly because he was a British
Citizen and arrived at Imphal on 6th February, 1894. He started by
establishing a school and was assisted by Maxwellforcing the Tangkhul Chiefs to
send their boys to the School. They could have their first baptized in 1901 and
by 1917 they could have 355 Church members and 5 Churches. [16]
6.
Baptists
in Mizoram
The
two pioneer missionaries Rev F.W Savidge and J.H.Lorrainwho arrived in Chittagong
in 1892. The failed to enter Tripura which make them try for Mizo Hills but
this was also denied. Towards the end of 1892 they moved to SIlchar and stayed
with the Welsh Presbyterian Mission. Within 12 months Mr A.W. Davies, Political
Officer of the North Lushai Hills gave them permission to go to Aizawl. They
arrived in Sairang on 11th January, 1894.[17]
They could not stay for long as Arthinton wants them to move on.
In 1901,
the Baptist Missionary Society turned their attention towards the South Miziram
and sent Rev Georges Hughes to report on the possibilities of stationing
Missionary. Edwin Rowlands suggested the BMS to call back the pioneer
Missionaries to work among the Mizo and they come back to Mizoram in 1903 and
settled in Lunglei on 13th March, 1903.[18]
From
the beginning the pioneer missionaries employed education and literature as
means of evangelization for the Mizo people. Savidge, a professional teacher
before he became a missionary was an expert in identifying potential leaders
and training them. Lorrain, on the other hand was a born linguist and he
devoted himself to Bible translation and production of Christian literature. Thus,
they are rightly regarded to be the ones who laid the foundation of Christian
literature and education in Mizoram. They also started medical work, which was
always mentioned in their annual reports. Their wives also started education of
women simultaneously. Mrs. Savidge actually was a trained teacher who taught at
Calcutta Girls’ School run by the Scottish Church Mission.[19]
BIBLIOGRAPHY
James, Woba. Major Issues in the History of Christianity in India. Nagaland:
Tribal
Development
and Communication Center,2016.
LLyod,
J. Meirion. History of the Church in
Mizoram. Aizawl: Synod Publication Board, 1991.
Raltawnga,
Baptist KohhranChanchin. Serkawn:Baptist
Publication Board,2015.
Rao, O.M. Baptist Distinctives.
Guwahati: Christian Literature Centre, 1995.
Study
and Research Division, Baptist world alliance. We Baptists (Franklin: Providence House
Publishers,1999.
WEBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.abc-usa.org/what_we_believe/our-history/
http://www.baptisthistory.org/baptistorigins/baptistbeginnings.html
http://www.baptisthistory.org/baptistorigins/baptistbeginnings.html
https://www.mizobaptist.org/history/
http://goabaptistfellowship.org/History.html.@
18.9.18. 8:24pm
[2]Study and Research
Division, Baptist world alliance, We
Baptists (Franklin: Providence House Publishers,1999),3
[5]Raltawnga, Baptist KohhranChanchin(Serkawn:Baptist
Publication Board,2015),232
[6]Raltawnga, Baptist
KohhranChanchin., 234
[7]Study and Research
Division, Baptist world alliance, We
Baptists…,5.
[9]Study and Research
Division, Baptist world alliance, We Baptists., 5
[10]http://goabaptistfellowship.org/History.html.@
18.9.18. 8:24pm
[12]Woba James, Major Issues in the History of
Christianity in India(Nagaland: Tribal Development and Communication
Center,2016),291
[13] Woba James, Major Issues in the History of
Christianity in India.,293
[14]Woba James, Major Issues in the History of
Christianity in India.,293
[16]Woba James, Major Issues in the History of
Christianity in India., 299
[17] J. Meirion LLyod, History of the Church in Mizoram (Aizawl: Synod Publication Board,
1991), 25-26.
