What are “Primitive Baptists”?
This is usually the first question for those who are not familiar with Primitive Baptist. For some, the word primitive conjures up images of harsh, archaic conditions. The adjective primitive however, does not describe a lack of amenities. The meaning of primitive is “of or relating to the earliest age or period” according to Webster’s Dictionary. The root word, prime, comes from the Latin word Primus and has the meaning of “first in sequence.” Primitive Baptists, then, are Baptist that believe and practice as the original church believed and practiced. “Old Baptists” or “Old School Baptists” are synonymous terms for Primitive Baptists. It was meant to differentiate our beliefs and practice from “New School” or Missionary Baptists. In about 1832 there was a controversy among Baptist over the use of missionary societies to spread the gospel. The “New School” wanted to use new devices, such as mission societies, to spread the gospel. This was driven by the doctrinal notion that hearing t
