Jarrel - Baptist Church Perpetuity - Landmark Baptist

Professor John Clarke Ridpath, Methodist, of Du Paw University, evasively
answered:
“The answers of your questions turns upon the definition of the word Baptist.
… There is, therefore, a sense in which we should say that there was a Baptist
church in the age of Luther. There is another sense in which we should have
to deny the proposition. … I should not readily admit that there was a Baptist
church as far back as A.D. 100, though without doubt there were Baptists
then, as all Christians were then Baptists.”
The President of the Campbellite College, at Bethany, Va., wrote me: “The
Baptists appeared first in Switzerland.” Who founded the first Baptist church
that ever existed,
“cannot be determined. There were no Baptist churches before the beginning
of the sixteenth century though immersion was practiced from the beginning.”
(My italics.)
A. P. Cobb, Pastor of the First Campbellite Church, in Springfield, Ill., wrote
me:
“Was there a Baptist Church when Luther began his Reformation? Yes. In
Switzerland, 1523. Large churches fully organized in 1525-30 in South
Germany. Who originated the first Baptist church? I cannot tell.” (My italics.)
The Pastor of the First Campbellite Church, Ann Arbor, Mich., wrote me:
“Was there a Baptist Church when Luther began his Reformation? The
Baptists had large churches fully organized between 1520-30 in Switzerland.
They were persecuted by both Zwingli and the Romanists. Who originated the
first Baptist Church that ever existed? I do not know.” (My italics.)
The Professor of Church History in the Campbellite College, at Irvington, Ind.,
indorsed the following quotation — which he inclosed with his letter — from
the Journal and Messenger, of Cincinnati:
“Baptists believe that the churches founded by the Apostles were essentially
Baptist. That they believed and practiced what Baptist churches believe and
practice to-day. They also believe that persons holding these essential
doctrines were found all along down through the centuries, from the days of
the apostles until now. But they do not fix upon any particular time when the
first Baptist church of modern times came into existence. They find that such
churches existed in Switzerland in the early part of the sixteenth century —
the days of Zwingli and Luther. They find that about the same time such
churches were to be found in Holland and the Low Countries; and that soon
after they were to be found in England. They find that as early as 1640-44
they were existing in various parts of our own country, and that their founders
for the most part came from England or Wales. Not to speak of Roger
Williams, it is found that Hanserd Knollys founded a little Baptist church in