10
10
While the movement obviously still had a polemical objective as evidenced by
point (3) above, a more pro-active approach toward ministry objectives was taking shape.
In 1936 the GARBC adopted its "Articles of Faith."
40
They were patterned after
the New Hampshire Confession of Faith,
41
which the Northern Baptist Convention had
rejected back in 1922, prompting the formation of the BBU.
42
But there was one significant
difference. The GARBC added premillennialism as an article of faith. This was apparently
the position of the vast majority of the churches involved. However, a few churches were
excluded by this test of faith, and notably T. T. Shields, an amillennialist, was a speaker at
this annual conference.
43
Another ghost from the GARBCs BBU past came back to haunt that meeting. J.
Frank Norris came to town, with glowing praise for the new organization. He presented
credentials from his huge Temple Baptist Church in Detroit for membership in the
GARBC.
44
Ketcham, who was no fan of Norris, instructed his assistant not to include Temple
until some research could be done. Louis Entzminger, Norris assistant at Temple, later sent a
copy of deacons minutes where they voted to join the GARBC. Ketcham suspected forgery,
and after contacting several lay people, church officers, and deacons, found that none of them
had ever heard of the GARBC.
The GARBC meeting of 1937 took place in Johnson City, New York. Norris
informed Ketcham that he would be there to speak. Ketcham said,
"It then became my painful duty to write Dr. Norris and advise him that while we
would be glad for his presence in Johnson City, that I must call his attention to the
fact that no one had asked him to speak."
45
40
"Constitution and Articles of Faith of the General Association of Regular
Baptist Churches." Schaumburg, IL: GARBC (no date; pamphlet published as the GARBCs
official "Literature Item" #1). The Constitution was amended in 1980 to enlarge the Council
from 14 to 18, and the Articles of Faith were "clarified" at the 1975 and 1976 annual
meetings. These documents also appear in the annual "Church Directory."
41
Beale, 276.
42
Delnay, 39. The GARBC Articles follow the BBUs revision of the New
Hampshire Confession, reinstating the premillennialism that had been removed in deference
to Shields and Southern Baptist BBU members.
43
Tassell, 46. See also footnote 32 above.
44
Norris was also still pastoring First Baptist in Fort Worth, commuting and
alternating between the two huge churches.
45
Murdoch, 150.