A Short History of the Baptists. (1907) [Leather Bound]

by Henry C. Vedder

Leather Binding on Spine and Corners with Golden leaf printing on spine. This book is printed in black & white, Sewing binding for longer life, where the book block is actually sewn (smythe sewn/section sewn) with thread before binding which results in a more durable type of binding. Reprinted in 2022 with the help of original edition published long back 1907. As this book is reprinted from a very old book, there could be some missing or flawed pages. Resized as per current standards. We expect that you will understand our compulsion with such books. If it is multi volume set, then it is only single volume. 546 A short history of the Baptists. Vedder, Henry C.

Genres: Church History, History, Nonfiction

546 pages, Leather Bound

First published January 1, 1891

About the author

Henry Clay Vedder, D.D. was an American Baptist church historian. He graduated at the University of Rochester in 1873 and at Rochester Theological Seminary in 1876. He was an editor at the Examiner from 1876 to 1894, after which he became professor of Church history in Crozer Theological Seminary, Upland, Pennsylvania. (Source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Randy Corn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book while a student at Temple Baptist Theological Seminary. We were assigned various chapters which the professor, Dr. Oswell Summers, wanted the class to have an in-depth understanding of. We did not have to read the book cover to cover, and so like any seminarian with too much reading to do, I put this book on my shelf with the firm commitment to sooner or later get back to it. Well, it has only been 45 years, but I have finally gotten around to fulfilling the promise I made to myself in 1978!

This is not the most in depth book, but rather what might be considered a survey of the major developments in Baptist history. It cannot be considered comprehensive, since it was published in 1907, and a good deal of Baptist history has come and gone since the beginning of the 20th century. Henry Vedder was an academic and does a thorough job discussing this aspect of the growth of the Baptist movement over the years. More than once he says that any movement should not only be counted but also weighed. Surely, the educational emphasis of any group will determine how much "heft" they have. It is interesting also that Dr. Vedder sounds a note of warning about the drift in Baptist scholarship toward higher criticism, though he never comes out and names it as such.

This book will not appeal to many other than those with keen interest in the Baptist movement. I found it refreshing to get reacquainted with names I first encountered almost half a century ago. I found it well worth reading.

[Seth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has the best explanation of the gradual corruption of the doctrine of the early churches into Catholicism that I've ever seen. Vedder was an excellent historian, who strove for fairness and accuracy, even to a fault. Therefore, his relating of facts proving the existence of Baptist groups long before the Reformation is very convincing. Many parts of the book were deeply stirring. I also enjoy the style in which he writes, and all the fascinating words he uses. To me, this was not a dry book!

Unfortunately, in this edition of the book he accepted the Whitsitt theory, which he had rejected in the first edition. His influence in that matter was far-reaching. According to that theory, baptism by immersion was introduced into England in the 1640's. J. T. Christian gives incontrovertible evidence in his book Did They Dip that it existed in England from the introduction of Christianity to the present time.

I was very much saddened to find out that he drifted eventually into outright apostasy. Though an ordained Baptist preacher, he was really a church history professor, and couldn't possibly have been a true Christian.

Overall, though, it is still a very good history.

[Bfleegs · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is slightly mis-named, in that it covers a lot more than simply Baptist history. It starts with the beginnings of the early church, follows that through the Roman era post Constantine, and then spends a significant amount of time on the Baptists and their development through the recent years. As such, it is a very helpful historical review. Although it was written over a hundred years ago (1907), I found this review of Baptist history to be very current, relevant, and easy as well as enjoyable to read.

[Carol Blakeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A not very short history of the Baptists. But worth reading. It doesn't just start with the beginning of the English Baptists, but traces those preachers of truth throughout church history, whatever their theological stances were regarding church polity, but preachers of salvation by grace through faith.