This chapter will act as a transition from the series on "Addresses to the Lost," to a series dealing with the subject of "Conviction" and with what may be called the "Evidences of Regeneration." It has already been demonstrated that both Scripture and Baptist tradition support the practice of preaching the gospel to every creature and that it is by the means of the general call of the gospel that sinners receive new life from Christ. Elder John Leland is a good example of the type of preaching that was done by our Baptist forefathers in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Such preaching also demonstrates what he and the Baptists considered to be the experience of "regeneration" and the "new birth." I have already, in earlier chapters, shown how the Hardshells err in separating "regeneration" and "conversion."
One of the adverse consequences of this error has been to think that all sinners "under conviction" are evidencing, thereby, the fact of their "regeneration" and "spiritual birth." This is no minor error. It highlights the serious danger of Hardshellism and Hyper Calvinism. If sinners "under conviction" are told that they are already "born again," when they are not, then such a message will work to keep such sinners from truly being saved. But, these things will be dealt with in the next series of chapters. First, however, let us note how Hardshells are frequent in their claims that the great preacher, Elder John Leland, was "one of them," a veritable Hyper Calvinist Hardshell. Then, I will demonstrate how this claim is false. It is a common error of the Hardshells to claim certain Baptist forefathers as being "one of them," when upon further examination, it is discovered not to be the case.
On page 622 of "Hassell's History" the writer says - "Some of our ministers who have passed away during this century are the following: John Leland..."
He writes about the 1784 session of the Kehukee Association, and says -
"That eminent servant of God, Elder John Leland, of New England, was present at this sitting of the Association, and he and Elders Lemuel Burkitt, David Brown and Jonathan Barnes were appointed to preach on Sunday. Elder Leland was at all times very much interested for the general welfare of the people, and a bold defender of their civil and religious rights." (page 703)
In the book - "Biographical Sketch of Primitive or Old School Baptist Ministers of the United States," Elder Leland is included. Did Elder Leland believe that the gospel was a means in regeneration? Did he believe it was wrong to preach the gospel to sinners? to call upon them to believe and repent and come to Christ for salvation? You would think he did, based upon historical statements by the Hardshells. But, though Elder Leland opposed an educated ministry, seminaries, and a salaried ministry, and although he likewise opposed much of the new "mission methodology" then coming into existence, and even Sunday Schools, things that would put him into a degree of fellowship with many Hardshells, yet he never would accept their teachings about the gospel and its use in the salvation of the elect. This will become evident from the citations to be given forthwith.
I got a copy of the "Writings of John Leland" just shortly after I joined the Primitive Baptists. I remember it was a rather thick book and I have still recollections from having read it. I have since lost it (probably loaned it out and can't remember who has it). But, I remember, while reading his writings (years ago when thinking he was a Hardshell forefather), thinking how unlike he was to the Hardshells. He seemed too "Arminian" for me, no doubt due to the sort of evangelistic appeals he made to the unconverted. Was he an "Arminian"? No, he was not. He accepted the Philadelphia Confession of Faith, even using it as the basis of a union between the Separates and the Regulars, although he thought that creeds and confessions of faith had been and still could be a hindrance instead of a help, if care were not taken.
However, I have found enough citations on the internet from Leland to substantiate what is here contained and asserted in this chapter.
Elder John Leland writes:
"I now come to a period, which was very interesting to me, and, possibly, on account of the incidents of this period, may be profitable to others. In the month of October, my mind was graciously impressed with eternal realities. Souls appeared very precious to me, and my heart was drawn out in prayer for their salvation. Now, for the first time, I knew what it was to travail in birth for the conversion of sinners. The words of Rachel to Jacob were the words of my heart to God: "Give me children or else I die." One night, as I lay on my bed weeping and praying, I thought if it was spring instead of autumn, I would spend all my time at the feet of Jesus in prayer, and at the feet of sinners, praying them to be reconciled to God; but winter was coming on, the summer was ended, and the opportunity past. On which reflection, the following welds burst into my mind with surprising effect: "The shepherds rejoiced on a winter's day." These words awakened all the latent energies of my soul. I resolved to double my vigor, and had faith to believe that I should see souls return to the Lord, and that I should rejoice at it that winter. For eight months after this, I had the spirit of prayer to a degree beyond what I ever had it in my life; and, if I mistake not, my preaching savored a little of the same spirit. My field of preaching was from Orange down to York, about one hundred and twenty miles. From November, 1779, to July, 1780, I baptized one hundred and thirty, the chiefest of whom professed to he the seals of my ministry. As this was the first time that ever such a work attended my ministry, it was refreshing indeed; nor can I think of it now, without soft emotions of heart. The chiefest of my success was in York, where Lord Cornwallis and the British army were made prisoners, in October, 1781. Matthew Wood, Robert Stacy and Thomas Cheesman, (all preachers afterwards,) were the children of this revival."
("Some Events In The Life of..." Part III, Written By Himself)
How any Hardshell can read this about Elder Leland and still claim him as "one of their own," is truly amazing. Perhaps it is just like Dr. McMahon said about the habit of the Hyper Calvinist writers to cite old writers and leave out pertinent information, citing in a piece-meal fashion. They handle the writings of our forefathers in the same manner they do the Scriptures. They twist and distort the record of the scriptures and also the Old Confessions and writings of our Baptist forefathers.
Elder Leland prayed for the salvation of sinners. This is something that modern Hardshells admit that they cannot do. They will never pray for an unregenerate sinner to be regenerated. Leland did! Leland longed to be a spiritual midwife and be used of God to bring to birth many of the elect through his preaching.
He wrote again:
"In August, 1799, my soul was again visited with the same peace and holy longings after God and the salvation of men as at former times. My preaching then, through grace, was not coasting around the shallow shores of doubt and uncertainty, but launching out into the deep for a draught. Attention and solemnity followed."
"Before the work made a visible appearance, and for three months afterwards, there was not a day but what I had the spirit of prayer, and a travail for souls; and often felt as if I should sink under the weight of my burden if souls were not delivered. Sometimes, individuals would lay in my heart; at other times, the longings desire would be more general. After three months I felt that spirit of prayer abate, but the spirit of preaching continued for three months afterwards, until the ingathering was over, and then the peculiar impression which I had, subsided." (Elder John Leland "Some Events In The Life of..." Part V)
This is not the spirit of Hardshellism. This man was desirous of being used to win souls to Christ. It was a passion for him, like it was for other great soul winning evangelists, men like Charles Spurgeon. Did Elder Leland not know that he was being "Arminian" by preaching as he did? Was he unaware of the fact that there are "operations of grace" but "no offers of grace"? Let us hear him on the matter.
"In 1806, I removed back to Cheshire. The day before the total eclipse, brother Birch was ordained. It was my lot to preach the sermon, which seemed to be blessed among the people. The substance of that sermon was offered to the public, in a pamphlet, afterwards entitled "The Flying Seraphim." The following winter, I sunk into great distress of mind. It has always been a question with me of great importance, to know how to address a congregation of sinners, as such, in gospel style. And this winter it attacked my mind with great force. Neither Gill, Hopkins, Fuller nor Wesley, could remove my difficulties. My fears were, that I did not preach right, which was the cause why I was so barren in myself and useless to others. This burden lay heavy upon me a long time. At length, at an evenings meeting at a school house in Cheshire, my heart waxed a little warm with holy zeal, and I gave my spirit vent to the youth and school children, regardless of all authors and systems, which had a good effect. Four of the school children and a young man besides, came forward for baptism in a few weeks, who dated the beginning of their religious impressions at that meeting. This little success, obtained at that trying time, gave me both relief and courage."
"At the close of the year 1806, I got amazingly distressed on account of my preaching, fearing that my barrenness in the ministry was owing to improper addresses. The Methodists were amazing successful and zealous, and the addresses of their ministers were general and undaunted. I visited them--I conversed with them; they were all for heaven, and assured they were in the way; but their zeal and confidence appeared to me like the mighty wind and fire in Elija's vision, and I could not discover that any with whom I conversed had any knowledge of themselves, of the law of God, or of the way of pardon.
The Gillite mode of addressing sinners, seemed a little different from the New Testament mode. The Hopkinsian method appeared as if it took all the wisdom of God to devise a way for an honorable pretence to damn men. Dr. Fuller only cast snother bundle of straw on the fire. So that the great query which has agitated my mind for more than thirty years, 'How is a congregation of sinners to be addressed?' at the time I am speaking of, fell with such distress upon my mind, that I could hardly contain myself. But in the midst of my difficulties, I had a meeting at a school house; in the time of service my soul got into the trade winds, and without consulting Gill, Hopkins, Fuller, or Wesley, without comparing our translation with the Septuagint, Chaldee, or the King of Spain's Bible, I addressed the scholars and young people in a way I never can without God helps me. The spirit of the Lord fell upon them. Very soon after this, five of them came forward and confessed Christ." (Continuation of MS. 1807)
"The wonderful effects that the reading and explaining of the Scriptures have had on the hearts and consciences of men, form an incontestable proof of the authenticity of the Bible. The Sybils, by the Romans, and the Koran, by the Turks, have been considered as coming from God: but their admirers have only received them as directions of life, (as we do codes of laws,) and have never pretended that those books affect the heart. Here, then, appears the pre-eminence of the Bible above all other books, for thousands of thousands can witness that the truth of the Bible has so affected their hearts as to make them love the divine character, and cordially submit to the government of heaven. And this same word of truth has borne up the minds of those who believed it under all their misfortunes, and made them triumph in the hour of death, so that if the faith of the gospel were a delusion, it would be the best delusion in the world." (Circular Letter of the Shaftsbury Association, VT By Elder John Leland, 1793)
(From The Writings of the Late Elder John Leland, Miss L. F. Greene, editor, 1845; rept. 1986, pp. 196-199. - jrd)
(http://www.geocities.com/baptist_documents/1793.cl.shaftsbury.html)
This is quite interesting historical information indeed. Elder Leland took his preaching seriously. Souls were at stake. He wanted to be right in how he addressed the unconverted masses. Which method is the right one? He no doubt studied the matter in great depth, realizing that there were some differences in how various preachers and denominations addressed the lost. What did he do? He followed nothing but the scriptures and the leading of the Spirit of God! I am convinced that such a course will work the same miracle today and keep many from the errors and dangers of Hyper Calvinism and its refusal to preach Christ to sinners and refusal to call upon them to repent, believe, and be saved in coming to Christ.
Here is what Elder Leland wrote in a letter to Elder John Taylor:
"It brings fresh to my mind the winter of 1779 and '80, which, was the coldest winter that America pas ever known; and yet, to me, it was the warmest that ever I knew. At several other periods of my life, I have had more success than I had at that time, but never had the spirit of prayer and travail for souls, to an equal degree."
"Your travels have been great, your success encouraging. "They that turn many to righteousness, shall shine as the stars forever and ever." When the ministers of Jesus shall be called to give an account of their stewardship, if, like their masters, they can each say, "behold I, and the children which God hath given me -- here, Lord, are the proofs of my ministry -- the seals of my faithfulness -- the souls thou hast given me." I t will be a crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord. But, notwithstanding success is very desirable, yet the promise is made to the faithful. Noah, a preacher of righteousness, was very unsuccessful; all his hearers but seven were destroyed; but, as he was faithful, he obtained the promise, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."
Will the Hardshells take their forefather on what he says here? Or will they "throw him overboard" too, like they have others? Will they claim Taylor as being "one of their own"? Leland is writing to one of the leading ministers in Kentucky; and one that initially wrote against the modern mission movement (more on this in later chapters). Oh yes, Hardshells will applaud what Taylor wrote against Carey and others, but will they accept Taylor's view, shared with Leland, that the Lord employed the gospel in the regeneration of sinners and that such sinners are called upon in the gospel to come to Christ for salvation?
Leland writes further, in his letter, saying:"Whenever I had evidence that God had blessed my imperfect labors for the salvation of sinners, it has given me much more joy than the favors of the rich, or the applauses of the great."
Leland was not talking about some "time salvation" here either! That novel idea did not come about till "the rise of the Hardshells." He is talking about eternal salvation and how God used his ministerial labors to accomplish it. This is not Hardshellism!
He says again:
"A new order of things has taken place in the religious department, since I began to preach. Then, when I went to meeting, I expected to hear the preacher set forth the ruin and recovery of man, and labor with heavenly zeal to turn many unto righteousness. His eyes, his voice, and all his prayers, and deportment, gave evidence that his soul travailed in birth for the salvation of his hearers. But now, when I go to meeting, I hear high encomiums on Sunday-schools, tract societies, Bible societies, missionary societies, anti-mason societies, etc., with a strong appeal to the people to aid with their money those institutions which are to introduce the millennium; assuring the people that "every cent may save a soul." I do not wish to be the bigoted old man, who always finds fault with new customs, though ever so great improvements; but, when I see the same measures pursued that were in the third century, I am afraid the same effects will follow."
This is again a denial of Hardshellism! How these people can claim him when he says and writes such things is quite astounding! He was denouncing the kind of preaching, then showing itself, that was Hyper Calvinism, where the salvation of souls was not the interest of the gospel minister, and where preaching to lost sinners was avoided. Such a thing Leland could not stomach! I am certain that, were he alive today, he would be infuriated with the Hardshells who today claim him as being one of them, of being one who did not think his labors and preaching were useless in the salvation of sinners! Yes, he condemned many of the modern methods in evangelism, things Hardshells likewise disclaim, but he did not "throw out the baby with the bath water"! He opposed certain methods, but not the aim. The aim is to win the lost, to witness to them of their need of Christ and salvation, and this aim
I love how Elder Leland closed out his letter to Elder Taylor.
"Rev. John Taylor, who lives, or ought to live, in the town of Regeneration, Grace-street, Penitent alley, at the sign of the cross, and next to glory."
(EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER TO REV. JOHN TAYLOR OF KENTUCKY, DATED DEC. 10, 1830. By John Leland)
More evidence of the beliefs and practices of Elder Leland come from the funeral discourse of a fellow minister.
"An appropriate discourse was delivered on the occasion, from Acts xiii. 36, 37, by the Rev. John Leland."
"ELDER WERDEN was born June 6th, 1728, and ordained to the work of the ministry, at Warwick, Rhode Island, May, 1751, in the 24th year of his age."
"A criminal, by the name of Carter, was executed at Tower Hill. This occasion collected abundance of people from all parts of the state. While the criminal stood under the gallows, young Werden felt such a concern for his soul, that he urged his way through the crowd; and being assisted by the sheriff, he gained access to Carter, and addressed him as follows: -- "Sir, is your soul prepared for that awful eternity, into which you will launch in a few minutes?" The criminal replied, "I don't know that it is, but I wish you would pray for me." In this prayer, Mr. Werden was so wonderfully assisted in spreading the poor man's case before the throne of God, that the whole assembly were awfully solemnized, and most of them wet their cheeks with their tears. This opened a great door for his ministrations, both on the Main and on the Island." (A Biographical Sketchof the Life and Character of the Rev. Peter Werden By John Leland)
(http://www.geocities.com/baptist_documents/bapt.bios.html)
This is quite interesting. Leland believes it is good for ministers to ask sinners if they are prepared to meet God. Hardshells do not condone this. They do not believe that God uses ministers to "turn many to righteousness."
Now that it is obvious what Elder Leland believed, how he did not separate regeneration and conversion, how can Hardshells write the following in good conscience? That is what all must ask themselves after reading what Elder C. C. Morris, neo-Hardshell, writes about an indicent in the life of Leland.
Elder Morris writes:
"An account from the experience of Elder John Leland would also bear this out. An African man, years before his being captured and sold into slavery, belonged to a certain tribe that worshiped a charred stump of a tree that had been hit by lightning and burned. Convicted in his heart of the futility of such worship, he secretly vowed not to pray to the stump, but rather he would pray to the unseen God who controlled the lightning that had burned the tree to the ground. Wrestling with a sense of his sinfulness and helplessness before such an almighty God, he would secretly go into the forest, kneel by the stump, and beg the invisible God in the heavens for forgiveness and mercy. Then, the slave boats came, and he was taken to the United States where he was sold.
One day, Elder Leland was preaching on a town square. This particular slave was there that day with his master, who gave him leave to listen to the preacher. As Elder Leland spoke powerfully on the subject of conviction for sin, conflict of soul, conversion, and salvation in Christ Jesus, suddenly the slave cried out, "Lord, that's me by the old black stump! Soon after this, Elder Leland baptized him.
The question might be asked, just when did this man receive spiritual life--when he heard Elder Leland preach, or while he was yet in Africa, when he was first given the desire to pray to the God of heaven? The evidence is for the latter. One does not hear in order to be born again; he is born again so that he can hear. Yet it was many years after his experience in the African jungle before he heard the gospel which explained his experience to him."
(A QUESTION ABOUT REGENERATION AND BELIEF by C.C. Morris)
(http://www.outsidethecamp.org/efl93.htm)
Did Elder Leland believe such things? Is Elder Morris right in his statements? Did the slave's "regeneration" take place in front of the "stump," while in Africa, when he was an idolator? Is that what Elder Leland believed? Elder Morris leaves the "impression" that Elder Leland believed as he does. But, this is again a case where Hardshells twist and distort facts. Elder Leland did not believe that conviction of sin was a sure sign of "regeneration"! He did not believe that any were "born again" who did not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as reported in the gospel! But, this is where the whole subject now of "evidences" of the new birth will be dealt with and the question about whether "conviction of sin" is a preparatory work to regeneration or an evidence of it.
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