Jarrel - Baptist Church Perpetuity - Landmark Baptist

to the fact that Hase, Gerard, Gieseler, Fusslin, Brandt, Dorner, and indeed,
that the concensus of candid, critical historians clear the Anabaptists of the
Munster slander.
He adds:
“That kingdom has attracted the attention of writers in a remarkable degree
because of its excesses; still it was a mere episode of the Reformation, lasting
from February, or more strictly, from December, 1534, to the 22d of June,
1535, or about six months in its full organization. But the peaceable
Anabaptists — who made it a religious principle to bear no weapons, use no
force, love their enemies and suffer all things unresistingly — existed by
many tens of thousands, during and after the time in Switzerland, Germany,
Moravia, and the low countries. In these distinctive principles they were
identical with the Waldenses before them and the noble Mennonites after
them.”
The late Dr. Philip Schaff, Presbyterian Professor in Union Theological
Seminary, and the most prominent church historian of the United States:
“The history of the Anabaptists of the Reformation period has yet to be
written from an impartial, unsectarian standpoint. f529 The polemical attitude
of the reformers against them has warped the judgment of historians. They
were cruelly treated in their lifetime by Romanists and Protestants, and
misrepresented after their death as a set of heretical and revolutionary fanatics
who could not be tolerated in a Christian state. The excesses of a misguided
faction have been charged upon the whole body. They were made responsible
for the peasant’s war and the Munster tragedy, although the great majority of
them were quiet, orderly and peaceful citizens, and would rather suffer
persecution than do an act of violence. The Mennonites and regular Baptists
of America are the true successors of the Anabaptists of the sixteenth century,
and help us to understand and appreciate the latter. The official reports of the
proceedings against the Anabaptists are from their enemies, and are more or
less colored. The works of Anabaptists are few and scarce.” f530
Of Roger Williams’ departure to America and of the Baptists Palfry, one of the
bitter enemies to Baptists, says:
“The Baptists many years before his departure had stated and maintained’ the
doctrine of religious liberty in the most unqualified terms.” f531
May says of the Baptists: “Renouncing all connection with the State. …
separation and isolation were the very foundation of their creed.” f532
Froude says of them: “In their deaths they assisted to pay the purchase money
of England’s freedom.” f533
Bancroft says of them: