New Connexion of General Baptists facts for kids

The New Connexion of General Baptists was a special group of Baptist churches in Britain. They started in 1770 and were known for their strong belief in spreading the Christian message. They were different from some other Baptists because they believed everyone could choose to follow God, which is called the Arminian view.

How the New Connexion Started

This group began in 1770. A pastor named Dan Taylor from Yorkshire helped bring them together. However, their roots go back to the 1750s. At that time, several independent Baptist churches in the east Midlands had loosely joined forces.

These churches were often called the "Barton Society." This was because their main meeting point was in the village of Barton-in-the-Beans in Leicestershire.

Why They Formed a New Group

Dan Taylor's big achievement was to unite these churches. He brought together the Barton Society churches from Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. He also included other Arminian chapels. These chapels were unhappy with how the main General Baptists were changing. They felt the General Baptists were becoming too liberal, almost like "Free Christians."

A big religious movement in the mid-1700s, called the Methodist Revival, made these churches even more frustrated. They had a strong desire to share their faith and felt a close bond with each other. This was very different from the more relaxed views of the other Baptists.

Growth and Organization

The New Connexion was very well organized right from the start. They grew quickly, especially in the new cities that were popping up during the Industrial Revolution. Many of their churches were in the industrial Midlands.

By 1817, just a year after Dan Taylor passed away, the Connexion had about 70 churches.

Training Pastors

By 1798, the Connexion had opened its own school. This school was for training their pastors and preachers. It first started in Mile End in London.

Later, the school moved to Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, in 1813. It moved again in 1855 to Leicester. Then, in 1882, it became known as the 'Midland Baptist College' and moved to Nottingham. The college eventually closed around the time of the First World War. Its resources were then given to Rawdon Baptist College.

Joining the Baptist Union

The Baptist Union of Great Britain was formed in 1812. At first, it did not include the General Baptists. However, the Union wanted more churches to join. So, in 1832, they made their beliefs simpler. They only asked churches to agree with general "evangelical" ideas. Because of this, many churches from the New Connexion started to join the Baptist Union.

Later, there was a big debate among Baptists called the 'Down Grade Controversy.' This debate was about new ways of studying the Bible. People like Charles Spurgeon were against these new ideas. But those who supported the new ideas won. This made it easier for different Baptist groups to come together.

John Clifford was a very important leader. He was baptized in a New Connexion church and studied at their Midland Baptist College. In 1888, he became the President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain.

Under John Clifford's leadership, the New Connexion officially joined the Baptist Union in 1891. It was fitting that no strict statement of faith was needed for the merger. This was because the New Connexion traditionally did not require one. John Clifford later became the first President of the Baptist World Alliance (from 1905 to 1911).