Excerpt from The New Directory for Baptist Churches Since the first appearance of the Directory the author has published several other manuals, mostly smaller, designed to meet the needs of specific de partments in our Church life, usage, and order. In all, there are now nine of these manuals, the com bined circulation of which, in this country, so far as can be ascertained, is not less than one hundred and sixty t/zousand copies. The Standard Manual has been translated into Spanish, for use in our churches In Mexico, Cuba, and elsewhere, among Spanish speaking peoples. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This classic is organized as follows: I. A Christian Church II. Church Officers III. Church Ordinances IV. Church Membership V. Church Discipline Private Offenses Public Offenses VI. Cases of Appeal VII. Church Business Order of Business Rules of Order VIII. Christian Doctrine Articles of Faith Covenant IX. Optional Standing Resolutions X. Baptism Considered Meaning of the Word The Baptism of Jesus Much Water Needed Philip and the Eunuch The Testimony of Scholars Apostolical Allusions The Witness of History For Thirteen Centuries As to the Greek Church The Design of Baptism A Sufficiency of Water The Rise of Sprinkling XI. The Lord’s Supper Open and Close Communion One and the Same Rule The Baptist Position Pedobaptist Close Communion The Power of Sympathy Three Facts Explained Pedobaptist Witnesses XII. Infant Baptism Not of Scriptural Authority When Did It Rise? Why Did It Rise? Household Baptisms XIII. Church Government XIV. Church Officers

When John Smyth organized the first Baptist church, he wanted to establish the New Testament church; believer's baptism was the missing link. Baptists of subsequent eras often continued the search to embody New Testament Christianity. Alongside the quest for the New Testament church (and congregational community), Weaver especially highlights the Baptist commitment to religious liberty and the individual conscience. Both chronological and thematic, this book addresses such themes as the role of women, the social gospel, ecumenism, charismatic influences, and theological emphases in Baptist life.

The New Directory for Baptist Churches explains how doctrines of Baptism developed, beginning with the series of propositions which are accept by every church belonging to the denomination. This historic manual offers a superb overview of the history of ecclesiastical Baptism, and the establishment of the tenets which the Baptist church go by. It is designed as an all-embracing reference manual for the believer, an excellent go-to book for pastors and preachers, and can even serve as a guide for those aspiring to found a new Baptist church in a locality. We learn of the organizational structures of the church itself; the places which worshiper and pastor occupy is clearly detailed. Baptists pointedly reject a hierarchical church in which layers of management govern each church; archbishops and bishops, priests and cardinals are considered in Baptism to be against the words of the New Testament, and therefore contrary to what pure Christianity truly is. In contrast the Baptist places emphasis on how each church and community is self-contained. Although the pastors and deacons decide upon the tone of the sermons and preaching, the Baptist movement is very much a localized tradition. However, loose confederations may be formed: the regional Baptist councils, which are modeled after the church councils discussed in the Book of Acts, occupy an important place. The process by which a new believer is admitted to Baptism is discussed; while those who have not been formally baptized may attend or inquire about the belief; yet they cannot be considered full members of the congregation until baptized. The customary practices of both infant baptism, and adult baptism for converts, are fully detailed. All Baptists are united in their belief in Jesus Christ and His doctrines. Their especial emphasis however is upon the dipping of Christ into water; a process which acted to wash away all sin and symbolize a rebirth of the soul. Such a process is important; while some believers hold that a mere sprinkling of water constitutes a baptism, the Baptist denomination firmly believes that only a full immersion of the body and head is valid. In all, Edward A. Hiscox presented a superb manual. Those interested in Baptism's history, or simply Baptists who want a book which explains the entire grounding of the faith, will be well served by this text.