Leaven Volume 5 Issue 1 Preaching Article 11 1-1-1997 Scotch Baptist Influence on the Disciples of Christ John Owston Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Owston, John (1997) "Scotch Baptist Influence on the Disciples of Christ," Leaven: Vol. 5 : Iss. 1 , Article 11. Available at: https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol5/iss1/11 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion at Pepperdine Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Leaven by an authorized editor of Pepperdine Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. Owston: Scotch Baptist Influence on the Disciples of Christ 38 Leaven. Winter 1997 The Scotch Baptist Influence on the Disciples of Christ By John Owston Today there is a large segment of the Restoration Move- (as they were in Scotland). Each congregation should be ment that disavows any connection whatsoever with the independent and self-governing, and should follow no par- Baptists. Unfortunately, there are many ministers in both ticular creed, but be governed by the holy scriptures alone. the a cappella Churches of Christ and the independent Chris- As Glas himself stated, the congregational issue was not a tian Churches who view the Baptists as our enemies, rather critical one when he began his ministry. than our brothers. This is particularly unfortunate when one realizes that we have much in common. Indeed, a number I had not then considered the controversy between of church historians and other scholars view the Disciples the Presbyterians and them of the congregational of Christ as part of the "Baptist family."! These similari- way, but took up the common report against the ties, of course, are not accidental. This is particularly true congregational business, that it is near confusion .... with regard to the Scotch Baptists, who differed from other Thus I thought myself a sound Presbyterian, and Baptist bodies in certain ways. Interestingly enough, some accordingly declared myself so, by subscribing to the Formula. And when I entered upon the work of the of the ways in which they differed from other Baptists put ministry, and was settled in a parish as a public them in closer proximity to some common Disciple? prac- teacher, I again declared myself a Presbyterian, and tices. subscribed to the Formula.' To be sure, many influences came into play regarding some of our present practices, British roots being particu- However, within ten years of his ordination, Glas would larly significant.' I would assert that one of the strongest be more in sympathy with the so-called "independents" than influences upon Disciples came from the Scotch Baptists. with the established kirk. Once he renounced belief in the Or perhaps a better way to understand some of our com- concept of a national church, he then refused to obey their mon practices is to realize that some of the Scottish reli- directives and was defrocked, in spite of the fact that he gious movements that influenced the Scotch Baptists also was held in high esteem by many ministers. With some influenced Alexander Campbell and Walter Scott. devoted followers Glas founded an independent congrega- The one movement that had a significant impact upon tion in Dundee, the first of a number of congregations that both the Scotch Baptists and Disciples was that of John were dubbed "Glasites." It is estimated that there were about Glas and Robert Sandeman. The Glasites could be dated thirty of these "Glasite" churches throughout Britain. from 1728, the year Glas was removed from the ministry What is particularly interesting is that at least four of of the Church of Scotland. One of the first points of con- the practices of the Glasite churches seem to have made tention that Glas had with the established church had to do their way into the Disciples: (l) the weekly observance of with church polity. Like the Radical Reformers, Glas came the Lord's Supper; (2) the plurality of elders; (3) distin- to conclude that the church and state should not be linked suishing the Lord's Day from the Sabbath; and (4) the use Published by Pepperdine Digital Commons, 1997 1 Leaven, Vol. 5 [1997], Iss. 1, Art. 11 Preaching 39 of scriptural names for local congregations, primarily, being disciples of Christ."? Pretty much in keeping with "Church of Christ."? Later, we will see how the views of the Scottish Presbyterianism from which Glas sprang, he Glas influenced the Scotch Baptists, but now let us con- focused on the commemorative nature of the Lord's Sup- sider in more detail the beliefs of the Glasites. per. First, Glas (like many religious reformers) placed a great deal of emphasis upon the scriptures as the sole rule of faith His doctrine of the Lord's Supper emphasized the and practice. Earlier reformers had done this, but not to the commemorative and declaratory aspects of the exclusion of religious creeds. Concerning man-made creeds, sacraments. While it is a real communion of the Body Glas believed that they might be helpful in setting forth the and Blood of Christ the sign must not be confused beliefs of a body of churches or in opposing heresy, but he with that which is signified, viz., the sacrificial death of Christ. That sacrifice has been made once for all did not believe creeds to be authoritative. This would be a and cannot be repeated in the Sacrament which belief shared by the Disciples and Baptists in general. represents it and assures its benefits." Concerning the ministry, Glas concluded that there were ordinary and extraordinary officers in the church. The or- The Glasites found a worship pattern in Acts 2:42, dinary officers included elders and deacons. Glas especially which some congregations followed rather strictly. Disciples emphasized the eldership, which he concluded from a study have also seen in this passage a basic pattern for congrega- of the New Testament must be plural in nature." Glas be- tional worship. In fact, there are some one-cup Churches of lieved in ordination, but not that it conveyed special sacer- Christ in America that rigidly follow this pattern. In an- dotal authority. "Elders were to be chosen to office by the other important way, both Disciples and Baptists have in- membership of the church they served, and ordained by herited Glasite practice: our propensity to divide into other other elders by laying on of hands and the right hand of parties when we cannot agree. This, I believe, is an inher- fellowship."? There was to be no official distinction between ent danger in any "restoration" or "back to the Bible" move- clergy and laity, and those who were selected as elders had ment. We cannot often agree on what needs to be restored to meet the scriptural qualifications to the letter. The elders from the original church. To some degree, the Glasites were were to carry on the affairs of the local church without com- more consistent than many Disciples in this regard. For pensation while continuing in their current occupations. example, the Love Feast was regularly observed between There are, of course, some Churches of Christ and Baptists the morning and evening services, the holy kiss was initi- in America today who take such a view toward their elders. ated, and foot washing was practiced. Foot washing as a Concerning the Lord's Supper, the Glasites decided that church ordinance is quite common today among Old Regu- a weekly communion service was in order. lar and Freewill Baptist churches. And I might add that the only time I was ever kissed by a man was when I visited a It has been observed at the first meeting of Mr. Glas Freewill Baptist church in Kentucky and was greeted with and his adherents they agreed to observe the Lord's a "holy kiss" by one of the deacons. Membership in Glasite Supper more frequently than was the practice of the churches came through a profession of faith and examina- Church of Scotland, viz., once every month; but soon found that they had as little warrant from the Scrip- tion by the entire church, which is fairly characteristic of tures for this practice as the Church of Scotland had many Baptist churches. The new member was then wel- for theirs, as the first Disciples came together on the comed with the laying on of hands and the holy kiss. II Some first day of the week for the breaking of bread; and early Baptist churches in America also laid hands on new they agreed that in this, as in everything else, they members immediately following their baptisms. This brings ought to be followers of the first churches, being us to the topic of baptism. Glas retained his Presbyterian guided and directed by the scriptures alone.' belief regarding baptism; namely, that it was a sign of what was already received and that the mode was inconsequen- Glas also concluded that communion should be closed, tial. In fact, he wrote an extant work entitled A Letter on a practice uncommon to Disciples, but prevalent among the Salvation of Infants in which he defended infant bap- Scotch (and other) Baptists. Glas said, "It is our duty to tism. The view of Glas on baptism would be the one pri- forebear communion with them that have no appearance of mary difference between his movement and the Scotch https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/leaven/vol5/iss1/11 2 Owston: Scotch Baptist Influence on the Disciples of Christ 40 Leaven, Winter 1997 Baptists.