Our denomination, Six-Principle Baptists, sometimes referred to as the Old or General Six-Principle Baptists, traces its origin in America to the ministry of Roger Williams in the 1600's.

Roger Williams (1603-1683)

In his book, "The Baptist Heritage," H. Leon McBeth wrote of Roger Williams, "Williams was one of the most important thinkers in early America, with significance in political as well as religious history. ...."

He was a ".... Missionary to the American Indians. Early pilgrims often talked about converting the Indians, but they rarely did anything about it. .... Williams mastered several Indian tongues, using these to good advantage in his trading, ventures, preaching, and political arbitration among them. ...."

Roger Williams believed in ".... Religious liberty for all." He was preaching this by the early 1630's and later built it into the law of his new colony, which eventually became the state of Rhode Island.

He believed in ".... Separation of church and state. To Roger Williams the basic principle was religious liberty, the freedom of the soul before God, but he regarded the separation of civil and spiritual spheres as essential to providing that soul freedom."

From the very first, the settlement that Roger Williams founded at Providence provided for democracy, religious liberty and separation of church and state. The charter of 1663 provided that:

"No person within said colony, at any time hereafter shall be in any wise molested, punished, disquited, or called into question for any differences in opinion in matters of religion, and do not actually disturb the civil peace of said colony; but that all and any persons may, from time to time, and at all times hereafter freely and fully have and enjoy his and their own judgments and consciences in matters of religious concernment."

This "Liberty of Conscience" is still at the heart of our denomination and the basis of our fellowship with each other. Six-Principle Baptists, as the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:1-3, do our best to "walk worthy of the vocation by which you (we) are called. With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Holding to these Scriptural ideals, we as Six-Principle Baptists can have "diversity in unity and unity in diversity."

During the 17th and 18th centuries there were a number of issues and controversies that developed among the Baptists that brought about much disagreement and division. The Six Principle Baptists, who originated in the mid 1600s, insisted that the "laying on of hands" (Heb.6:1-2) be practiced as a mandatory ordinance of the church. Others disagreed, saying that was a good practice, but not necessary. The Six Principle Baptists became so influencial, that the word "Hope" and the emblem of the anchor (both taken from Hebrews 6) were placed on the flag of Rhode Island.

Why are we called "General Six-Principle Baptists?"

We are called "General" because the majority of those associated with our denomination, past and present, adhere to the atonement of Christ as being "general" in nature, or for all people as opposed to being just for the elect, or a few.

We are called "Baptists" because we adhere to "believer's baptism" as the Biblical directive as opposed to infant baptism. Baptists practice baptism by totally immersing persons in water, rather than by sprinkling, pouring, or anointing persons with water. Baptism by immersion preserves the dramatic imagery of the meaning of baptism as a symbolic death, burial and resurrection.

We are called "Six-Principle" from our adherence to all six principles of the doctrine of Christ as given in Hebrews 6:1-2.

It is most specifically from our full adherence to the fourth principle listed in Heb. 6:1-2, which, to a degree, is neglected by other baptist groups. While all Baptists are agreed on the laying on of hands upon candidates for ordination, Six-Principle Baptists, believe that more than this is indicated in Scripture concerning that fourth principle. Therefore, not only do Six-Principle Baptists lay hands on candidates for ordination, but we lay hands on the newly baptized as a prerequisite to church membership. Those coming into our fellowships from other fellowships who have been ordained to the ministry by the laying on of hands, we accept as fulfilling this prerequisite.

In his book "History of the General or Six Principle Baptists in Europe and America" (1827), Richard Knight wrote:

"Laying on of Hands. -- This principle of Christ's doctrine, though anciently practised by all baptist churches, is now so much neglected and laid aside, that it distinguishes the churches under review in this work, from all others, by the appellation of the Six Principle Baptists, they holding this rite in connection with, and of equal authority with baptism and all the other principles of Christ's doctrine, and feel warranted therein, both in the divine precepts and practice of the apostles and primitive churches, which, it evidently appears, were in the general practice of this sacred rite for six hundred years after the ascension of our Lord ...."

We see in the Scriptures that Christ and the Apostles laid hands on people in blessing. The Apostles laid hands on believers after they were baptized and they received the Holy Spirit for witness and power for ministry. Six-Principle Baptists continue to hold to the fullness of this distinguishing principle today.