What Baptists Should Believe and Practice (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from What Baptists Should Believe and Practice

Orthodoxy and ignorance are not synonymous terms, though the tendency is definitely to con sider it so. There is an assumption, on the part of many in the field of education and research, that when one seeks to find light in the field of reli gion he must dispense with the fundamentals, and must build his premise on the theory that nothing can be known on a basis of experience and reve lation, but that all things must be discovered through the process of scientific investigation. No lover of truth ever seeks to discount the value of either science or investigation, but that same per son also knows that there is authority in religion which is definite and positive; and no kind of doubtful assumption will destroy his belief in those essential elements of truth which have been given to us by a power which is beyond us.

Baptists stand in a very hazardous position with reference to an assumed new intellectual crisis coming out of the war. It is more imaginary than real, but those who think they sense it are insisting that the landmarks be either given up altogether, or so seriously compromised that their influences will be without value. Our age-long and well known position concerning the scriptures as the sole and sufficient rule of faith and practice, is to be genuinely questioned and tested, and our people must know the answers to the questions which areto be insidiously framed and cautiously propound cd. In many ways, Baptists are the last segment of believers who are able to point to the scriptures as the basis for all their beliefs and practices. It is important therefore that this New Testament group shall remain loyal as far as fundamental truth and doctrine are concerned.

New Testament truth, and the necessary sub jects coming out of it, are ably taught in our colleges and seminaries. There is considerable anxi ety expressed by many of our people as to the genuineness of much of this teaching, but it is here assumed that, for the most part, our schools are sound in all the fundamental New Testament doctrines. This teaching, however, is only possible of attainment for a small group of our people. Our ministers receive such instruction, or at least a great many of them do, but their programs in their churches are so burdened with other inter ests that doctrinal preaching and teaching is al most impossible. The many splendid laymen which we have in our churches are usually laden with the cares of business to such a degree that they cannot find the time to make sufficient preparation for any doctrinal teaching to those whom they may teach in Bible classes on Sunday.

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