"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. " 2 Cor. 13:1. This is law of life and death in the old law. "At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death: but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death." Deut. 17:6. This is a divine law that God has established in heaven, and given to man to establish facts. His word tells us, "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in the earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." 1 John 5:7-8.
This shows three in the trinity who bear record in heaven, and three witnesses, in the earth that are in His church. The Holy Spirit, baptism, and communion that all agree in testifying that Jesus is the Christ. Now I want to give to you three earthly witnesses, who were not Baptists that testify to the succession of Baptists from the days of the apostles.
1. On Baptist succession, Dr. Peck says, "Baptists in every age, from the apostles remained true to the Kingdom which Christ came to establish." (Religious Denominations, P. 197. Quoted from Ray's History, P. 447.)
2. A. Campbell said, "The Baptist denomination in all ages and in all countries has been, as a body, the constant asserters of the rights of man and the liberty of conscience." (Campbell on Baptism. P. 409.)
3. Dr's. Ypeij and Dermont, Historians, speaking of Baptists, say, "We have now seen that the Baptists who were formerly called Ana baptists, and in later times Mennonites, were the original Waldenses, and who have long in the history of the church received the honor of that origin. On this account the Baptists may be considered as the only Christian community which has stood since the days of the apostles, and as a Christian society which has preserved pure the doctrines of the Gospel through all ages." (Christian's History, P. 95) I could give many other witnesses who have testified to the succession of Baptists but this is the Scriptural number to prove our case. They are Professed Christian Historians not members of a Baptist Church.
I will now give you a line of history from the apostles to this church in Tracy, California. Most of this is from Roy Mason's book, "The Church Jesus Built."
1. John the beloved disciple, baptized by John the Baptist, and a charter member of the Jerusalem Church, which Jesus organized. Luke 6:12-16. Matt. 16:18. Acts 1:21-22. 2. John the beloved disciple baptized Polycarp A.D. 90. Neander's Church History, page 285. 3. Polycarp organized Partus Church, A.D. 150. Cyrus Commentary of Antiquity, P. 924. 4. Turtullan came from Partus church and organized Turan church A.D. 237. Armitage Church History, P. 182. 5. Tellestman came from Turan church and organized Pontifossi church, A.D. 394. Nowlan's Church History, Vol. 2, P.318. 6. Adromicus came from Pontifossi church and organized Darethea church, A.D. 671. Lambert's Church History, P. 47. 7. Archer Flavin came from Darethea church and organized Timto church, A.D. 738. Mosheim Church History. P. 394. 8. Balcolao came from Timto church and organized Lima Piedmont church, A.D. 812. Neander's Church History. Vol.2, P. 320. 9. Aaron Arlington came from Lima Piedmont church and organized Hillcliff church, A.D. 987. Jones' History, P.324. Many churches were organized in Wales and England from Hillcliff church. 10. Eld. John Clark came from England and organized Newport Baptist church in Rhode Island, the first Baptist church in America, A.D. 1638. J.R. Graves in "First Baptist Church of America." P. 13. 11. Elder H. Roller came direct from Hillcliff church to Philadelphia Baptist Association in A.D. 1809, and organized many churches in the United States. See History of Philadelphia Association. 12. From Philadelphia Association Missionaries came down into Western N. C. and organized many churches, among them Grassy Creek Baptist Church. 13. R. Y. Blalock was baptized in Grassy Creek Baptist Church the second Sunday in May 1881. He was ordained to preach by Franklin St. Baptist Church, Louisville, Ky. June 4th, 1895. He came west in June, 1895, and organized several churches in Oregon, and 3 in Idaho, and came to California in 1935 and organized, or assisted in organizing ten churches, among them is this church. So your church has been organized by the authority of a succession of churches from the old Jerusalem Church.
The next evidence of the succession of Baptists, I present as witnesses three infallible witnesses: 1. Daniel the inspired Prophet, "And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed." Dan. 2:44. When Jesus, the God of Heaven, had set up His church, as given in Luke 6:12-21, and set the apostles in it, and naming them, He said to them in verse 20, "Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God." There is the kingdom that Daniel said "Never should be destroyed." 2. We give the testimony of Paul, the great apostle to the Gentiles under inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He says, "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end." Eph. 3:21 3. Now, we will give the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He says, "I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matt. 16:18. Then He said in His farewell message to His church, "and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matt. 28:20. It is enough, what more should we say? I am glad I am a Baptist, aren't you? But it ought to humble us. What a responsibility! What a debt! We owe the world the truth. God has called us to give it to them. Shall we be faithful to our trust? God help us to be. Amen.
NOTE:Elder John R. Blalock was a member of several of the churches organized by his father, R. Y. Blalock, and he was a part of the organization of Bible Missionary Baptist Church. So you can see that we can show an unbroken line back to Christ who organized the first church.